The Holy Face Medal: Heaven's Coin

"As in a kingdom one can procure all that is

desired with a coin stamped with the King's effigy,

so in the Kingdom of Heaven one will obtain all

that one desires with the precious coin

of my Holy Face."

~ Our Lord to Sr. Marie of St. Peter,
Carmelite Mystic (d. 1848)

The Holy Face Medal, as revealed by Heaven

to Bl. Maria Pierina de Micheli.

Family and Friends who know me very well are aware this author is an enthusiastic devotee of the Holy Face Medal.  I wrote a little about the history of the Holy Face Devotion this past July 2011 (click/tap on this link to see the post: Holy Face Devotion), but with the recent observance of the September 11th Memorial of Bl. Maria Pierina de Micheli (a.k.a. Madre Pierina) - a significant figure in the devotion's history - I felt inspired to share more about the special medal Heaven requested through Madre Pierina.

Again, devotion to the Holy Face is not new to the Church; the familiar image of the bearded face of Christ has its origin in the earliest days of Christian history, as confirmed by ancient paintings discovered on the walls of the Roman catacombs.  But the devotion has taken on a whole new significance in the 20th century through the efforts of Madre Pierina and her congregation, the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception of Buenos Aires.

   

A portrait of Jesus painted circa the 6th Century (left)

and the Holy Face of our Lord, as miraculously imprinted

on the Shroud of Turin (right).

From her childhood and throughout her lifetime, Madre Pierina experienced several mystical visits from our Lord and the Blessed Virgin, who requested that she promote the image of the suffering face of Jesus Christ as a visual reminder of how sin grievously offends God ... and how reparation is urgently needed.  For example, on the first Friday of Lent in 1936, Jesus reportedly appeared to this mystic to relate the following:

"I wish that my face, which reflects my soul's deepest

anguish, the sorrow and love of my heart, be better honored.

He, who contemplates me (the Holy Face), consoles me."

In May 1938, the Holy Virgin appeared to Madre Pierina in her convent's chapel to reveal a new sacramental - a white fabric scapular -  imprinted with an image of the Holy Face surrounded by this inscription:

Illumina Domine Vultum Tuum Super Nos

(Lord, shine your Face upon us)

... while the second panel displayed a radiant Blessed Sacrament surrounded with these words:

Mane Nobiscum Domine

(Stay with us, Lord)

Our Lady, on behalf of her Divine Son, went on to promise special graces for those who would devoutly wear the scapular ...

"All who wear a scapular like this and make,

if possible, every Tuesday a visit to the Blessed Sacrament,

in order to repair the outrages to the Holy Face of my Son,

Jesus, received during his Passion and every day in the

Holy Eucharist, will be strengthened in faith ... prompted to

defend it ... and will overcome all difficulties internal and

external.  Furthermore, they will have a peaceful death

under the loving gaze of my Divine Son."

~ Our Lady to Madre Pierina

After obtaining her confessor's support and the necessary Church-approval to reproduce the scapular, Madre Pierina was persuaded by her superiors to have medals minted instead of having cloth scapulars manufactured.  The seer complied (using the face from the Shroud of Turin as a model) but was initially troubled by the change until Our Lady later returned to reassure her that the medal format was acceptable and carried the same graces as the scapular that she originally communicated in her 1938 appearance.

Thus, the Holy Face Medal, as it came to be called, spread rapidly with innumerable favors being attributed to its pious use.  Through Madre Pierina, Jesus conveyed the following promise to all peoples who will exercise this devotion:

"I promise personal and spiritual protection

to all who venerate this medal."

In a feeble attempt to obstruct Madre Pierina’s mission the devil often harassed her - physically attacking her and setting fire to the supply of Holy Face pictures she kept on hand for distribution.  But the brave nun wasn’t easily deterred by the evil one's assaults.  Instead, she heroically prayed, sacrificed, and persevered in the mission entrusted to her by our Lord and the Blessed Virgin, while also scaling the heights of holiness.  Her sanctity was attested to by her worthy confessor - the Ven. Hildebrand Gregori - and others who knew her closely.  She died in 1945, perfectly fulfilling the personal sentiments that she had written earlier in 1941: "I feel a deep longing to live always united to Jesus, to love him intensely because my death can only be a transport of love with my spouse, Jesus."

As further approbation of Madre Pierina's credibility and personal holiness, Pope Leo XII officially approved the Holy Face Medal in 1858.  The same Pontiff formally declared Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday) as the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus, which fulfilled a request made to Madre Pierina by Jesus, himself, in 1938.

   

 A portrait of Bl. Maria Pierina, the Apostle of the

Holy Face, and a 1st Class Relic of the Blessed gifted to

this ministry by her congregation.

Madre Pierina was declared a Blessed by the Catholic Church on May 30, 2010, sparking renewed interest in her life and work.  The message entrusted to her by Heaven has inspired this author to wear the Holy Face Medal (for over 15 years now, as of this writing) and it has proven to be a source of benediction and spiritual comfort for me.  I encourage all Catholics (and even non-Catholics) to wear it, too.  For more detailed information about the Holy Face Devotion and Madre Pierina, visit the website of the Holy Face Association: http://www.holyface.com/ ... or to download a printable, introductory brochure about this devotion, click/tap here.

+ U P D A T E :  4 - 2 8 - 2 0 2 5 +

FOR DISCERNMENT:  A Eucharistic/Holy Face sign?  The photo posted below was snapped on the morning of 4/28/2025, while this author was praying the Rosary and viewing a Eucharistic Adoration livestream channel of a parish in Middleton, New Jersey.  It seemed to me that our Lord's Holy Face was appearing in the Host and it looked uncannily like His face, as mysteriously imprinted on the Shroud of Turin ... and subsequently on the Holy Face Medal, which this ministry enthusiastically endorses!

NOTICE:  To download a free introductory pamphlet on Sacramentals, in general, click here.

*** This lay-ministry currently has a limited supply of gold-colored aluminum Holy Face Medals, which are being offered to the readers of this blog at no charge (Hawaii or US-mainland residents only).  If you would like to receive a medal (one medal per person, per request), please email me - Peter - with your full name and mailing address at guadalupe_house@yahoo.com (indicate 'Holy Face Medal Request' in the subject line).  As an added blessing, the Holy Face Medal will be prayed over and touched to the relic of Bl. Maria Pierina de Micheli pictured above before being mailed to the requestor.

The Maria Bambina: Celebrating Mary's Nativity & Infancy

The miracle image of the Maria Bambina,

as venerated in Milan, Italy

Catholics throughout the world are familiar with images of the Christ Child, most especially with replicas of the miraculous image of the Infant Jesus of Prague. But not many are aware that there’s a counterpart Baby-Mary statue in Milan, Italy, that’s affectionately called the “Maria Bambina” (Infant Mary). Like the famous Prague statue, the Maria Bambina is also molded from wax and enjoys a solid reputation as a channel of heavenly grace, especially healing.

The life-sized image of the Maria Bambina was originally molded by a saintly Poor Clare nun named Sr. Chiara Isabella Fornari from Todi, Italy. Sr. Chiara Isabella was a talented artist who also happened to be a great mystic. She experienced special favors from the Lord, including the invisible Stigmata, which were accompanied by a set of wounds around her brow, symbolizing the crown of thorns worn by our Lord. When she died in 1744, she left this world with a firmly established reputation for holiness and miracles. 

Sr. Chiara Isabella’s tender devotion to Our Lady and the mystery of her holy infancy inspired her to sculpt the wax image, which was then venerated in her convent. Before her death she bequethed the Maria Bambina to a Capuchin Convent in Milan after which it passed from one custodian to another until it was received in 1876 by the Sisters of Charity within the same city.  By that time, the image was worn with age and had become an unattractive grayish-yellow color, but the Sisters continued to privately honor it each September 8th - the Feast of Our Lady's Nativity - despite its homely appearance.

Sr. Chiara Isabella Fornari, a Poor

Clare Mystic & Stigmatic 

In September 1884, a series of extraordinary events occurred which brought the Maria Bambina into the public spotlight. A paralyzed sister, Sr. Giuseppina Woinovich, asked the superior for the image to be brought to her bedside; a request, which the superior granted. The statue remained with the afflicted sister overnight and before being returned to its storage chest, the superior was inspired to bring the image to another seriously ill sister who was suffering in the infirmary. The nun - a novice named Giulia Macario - affectionately cradled the image in her arms and fervently implored Our Lady’s intercession; she was immediately cured.  The community of nuns marveled at the heavenly grace they received through the Maria Bambina, but little did they know that Our Lady had yet another wonder in store for them...

On January 16, 1885, the Sisters of Charity noted that the statue itself had begun a remarkable transformation - gradually, within a few days, its grayish hue changed to a rosy flesh-color, while its roughly-molded features took on a charming and exquisite life-like appearance. The miracle make-over was strikingly obvious, and the effects of it can still be seen today.

A closer view of the life-like features

of the Maria Bambina.

Furthermore, within the next few months, Sr. Giuseppina was also miraculously healed of her paralysis through Mary's intercession, along with a third gravely ill Sister.  

Not surprisingly, news of the miraculous image and the cures spread outside of the convent walls, which quickly established the fame of the Maria Bambina in Italy.  Today, the image is kept in an ornate, cradle-like shrine in the motherhouse chapel of the Sisters of Charity and is venerated in a special manner each year on September 8th. The statue is so well-known in the region, the good Sisters have become synonymous with it and are now also referred to as the “Maria Bambina Sisters” because of their custodial duties with the image.

A statuette - representing the infant

Mary - that was gifted to my ministry

by a friend in California.

 

A Prayer to the Infant Mary

Sweet Child Mary, destined to be the Mother of God and our sovereign and loving Mother, by the prodigies of grace you lavish upon us, mercifully listen to my humble supplications. In the needs which press upon me from every side and especially in my present tribulation, I place all my trust in you.

O Holy Child, by the privileges granted to you alone and by the merits which you have acquired, be merciful to me this day. Show that the source of spiritual favors and the continuous benefits which you dispense are inexhaustible, because your power with the Heart of God is unlimited. Deign through the immense profusion of graces with which the Most High has enriched you from the first moment of your Immaculate Conception, grant me, O Celestial Child, my petition, and I shall eternally praise the goodness of your Heart.  Amen.

First Saturday Parish Rosary at St. Anthony's Church, 9/3/2011

  

September's First Saturday Rosary

for Peace at St. Anthony of Padua Church

The First Saturday Monthly Rosary was again prayed in our parish's day chapel... the small group of regular participants who came together to pray the rosary did so with sincere faith and devotion, and we were also joined by several new faces in the pews, which is always a welcomed sight.  May our prayers for peace continue to bear many positive fruits in our lives, as well as in our parish and neighboring communities.

The next First Saturday Rosary will be prayed on 10/1/2011 at 4:30pm. The regularly scheduled Saturday evening Vigil Mass will follow at 5:00pm in the main church.  Come and pray with us in October - the month of the Holy Rosary! - in the special presence of rare, authenticated relics of the Blessed Mother's veil (Ex Velo) and dress (Ex Camisia) - all are welcomed!

Saint of the Month - September, 2011: Blessed Colomba Gabriel

Bl. Colomba Gabriel

Advocate of Poor Laborers

Memorial: September 24th

Originally from Poland, this foundress of a thriving modern congregation was actually once a nun in her own homeland, but through the mysterious design of Divine Providence, she found herself led to Rome where her spirit of charity was greatly needed during her lifetime... and even beyond.

Born on May 3, 1858, Janina Matylda Gabriel was from a wealthy and influential family from the Polish town of Ivano-Frankivsk (now part of Ukraine). As a youthful socialite she was described as being devout, intelligent, and attractive, but despite the prospects of a glittery future that her rank accorded her, she longed for something much more meaningful. In 1882, Janina left her privileged life behind to follow her dream of becoming a religious; she joined the Benedictine Order in Lviv and took the name, Sr. Colomba.

In Lviv, Colomba's piety and leadership qualities quickly distinguished her from her companions and the young nun was elected to the office of Abbess. All seemed well at first until the evil one made his presence known by stirring up discord among the Benedictine Sisters. The jealousy of a few unworthy nuns lead to columny and intense conflict within the community, and Sr. Colomba discerned in the situation a sign for her to leave her monastery to follow another inspiration from the Lord. So in 1900 she left for Rome, Italy, where she lived for a short while before rejoining the Benedictines in nearby Subiaco; she was never to see her home-country again.

In 1902, Colomba returned to Rome where she further discerned an urgent need to assist naïve factory workers who were exploited in the city, especially impoverished young girls. She began a charitable apostolate that involved the opening of a small 'home', which provided shelter, protection, education, and food to poor laborers. The work attracted other pious women and, as the apostolate expanded, Sr. Colomba organized her growing band of helpers into a formal religious congregation that she named the Benedictine Sisters of Charity.

The new foundress - now 'Mother Colomba' - served as the capable superior of the congregation, and for the rest of her life, continued to work tirelessly in opening one home after another throughout Italy. She was sustained in her difficult mission by deep faith and an intense prayer life, and generously motivated by her sincere desire to assist the needy and the poor.

When her death occurred on September 24, 1926, Mother Colomba was mourned by the populace of Rome, who had gratefully adopted the Polish noblewoman as one of their own. The Church later recognized the sanctity of the foundress by Beatifying her in 1993. Her body is reportedly incorrupt and is enshrined and venerated in the motherhouse of her congregation in Rome.

A Reflection:
'Ora et Labora (Pray and Work)' ~ The Motto of the Benedictine Order
 

A Short Prayer:
Dear Lord, following the example of your servant, Bl. Colomba Gabriel, help us to also fill our days with not just work, but also with prayer.  Amen.