Reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus
Devotion to Our Lord’s Holy Face has been communicated through two Sisters, Sr Marie de Saint Pierre (1816-1848) and Blessed Maria Pierina de Micheli (1890-1945).
In Tours, France during the 1840’s a young Carmelite nun, Sister Marie of St Peter, received a series of revelations from Our Lord about a powerful devotion He wished to be established worldwide – the devotion to his Holy Face.
The following prayer was dictated by our Lord Himself to Sister Marie of St Peter. Opening His Heart to her, our Saviour complained of blasphemy, saying that this frightful sin wounds His divine Heart more grievously than all other sins, for it was like a “poisoned arrow”. Those who would recite this prayer (the Golden Arrow prayer) would pierce Him delightfully, and also heal those other wounds inflicted on Him by the malice of sinners.
THE GOLDEN ARROW PRAYER
MAY THE MOST HOLY, MOST SACRED, MOST ADORABLE, MOST INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND UNUTTERABLE NAME OF GOD BE ALWAYS PRAISED, BLESSED, LOVED, ADORED AND GLORIFIED, IN HEAVEN, ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, BY ALL THE CREATURES OF GOD, AND BY THE SACRED HEART OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, IN THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. AMEN.
After receiving this prayer, Sister Mary of St. Peter was given a vision in which she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus delightfully wounded by this “Golden Arrow” as torrents of graces streamed from It for the conversion of sinners.
This devotion is approved by the Holy Catholic Church and is elevated to the status of Archconfraternity.
Blessed Maria Pierina de Micheli, a holy nun who died in 1945, is best known for her association with the Holy Face of Jesus and for introducing a medal bearing an image from the Shroud of Turin as part of this devotion.
In 1936, during the night adoration of the First Friday in Lent, Jesus, after letting her share in His spiritual sorrow of the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, with His Face covered with blood and profoundly sad, told her:
“I wish that my Face, which reflects the intimate sorrow of my soul, and the suffering and love of my Heart, be better honored. He who contemplates me consoles me.”
In 1938, while Pierina was at prayer in the Community Chapel, a beautiful Lady, which she knew to be the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared on the altar step in a beam of light, holding a Scapular made of two small pieces of flannel joined by a cord. One of these pieces bore the image of the Holy Face of Jesus with the words “Iliumina Domine Vultum Tuum Super Nos” (May the light of Thy Face, O Lord, shine upon us) and the other, a Host surrounded by rays and the words “Mane Nobiscum Domine” (Stay with us, O Lord). Gently the Lady approached and said:
“Listen carefully and refer everything to Father (her priest confessor); This Scapular is an armor of defense, a shield of strength, a pledge of mercy which Jesus wishes to give to the world in these times of lust and hatred against God and His Church. There are very few true apostles. A divine remedy is necessary, and this remedy is the Holy Face of Jesus. All those who shall wear a scapular and will make, if possible, a visit to the Blessed Sacrament every Tuesday, in reparation for the outrages that the Holy Face of My Son, Jesus, received during His Passion and which He receives each day in the Eucharistic sacrament, will be fortified in the Faith, made able to defend it and in the end will have a happy death under the loving gaze of My Divine Son.”
Some time later, Sr. Pierina was bothered as she had medals cast for distribution and she worried that she should have had scapulars made instead, Our Lady explained to her that either the medal or the scapular could be used. It did not matter which one, as both were equally pleasing to God.
In 1940, when the Second World War had the world in turmoil, Italy saw a wide distribution of this medal. Relatives and friends saw that their soldiers, sailors, and aviators were provided with the replica of the Holy Face of Jesus since the medal was already famous for its miracles and countless spiritual and temporal favors.
In the words of Our Lord to Sister Pierina:
“By My Holy Face you will obtain the conversion of numberless sinners. Nothing that you ask in making this offering will be refused you. According to the care you take in making reparation To My Face, disfigured by blasphemers, I will take care of yours, which has been disfigured by sin. I will reprint on it My Image, and render it as beautiful as it was on leaving the Baptismal Font. I promise personal and spiritual protection to all who venerate this medal.”
Sister Pierina was beatified on Sunday, May 30, 2010 at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome – the first beatification ever held within its walls. Archbishop Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, celebrated the ceremony, in representation of Pope Benedict XVI.