"Who was the woman who wiped Jesus' face on the way to the cross?"
The Bible does not record the account of a woman wiping Jesus' face with the towels. The tradition is that the woman's name was Veronica. This tradition is very old, but there is no way to know if there is any truth to it. However, since the Bible does not say, we should not give the account any authority. If this event was important, it would have been mentioned in the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion.
Some Workouts:
In Catholic Churches around the world we find an early practice formalized much later called the Stations of the Cross (14 of them) which walk through various incidents during the passion and death of our Lord.
The Church dedicates the Sixth Station to Veronica Wipes The Face of Jesus.
Is this an actual event and what do we know of the Veil on which Jesus is believed to have left His image?
The Basic Story:
The Veronica Legend relates that while Jesus was on the Via Dolorosa going to His Crucifixion, a woman stepped out of the crowd and, out of love and compassion, wiped His face of sweat and blood with her Veil.
As a reward, Jesus left the imprint of His face on the Veil.
That Veil is believed to have passed down to us through a long, convoluted history. Today, there are two claims to having the Veronica Veil. One is by the Vatican in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The other claims the true Veronica is in a Capuchin Monastery about 150 miles east of Rome in the Apennine Mountains of Manoppello - it having been lost (stolen) from the Vatican in the 16th century during renovations and brought eventually to Manoppello.
Early Sources of the Legend:
The Story of Veronica's Veil is not found in the New Testament. It appears in early Christian history.
This was not likely the real name of the woman alleged to have wiped Jesus' face, but rather a name ascribed to her. The name given was Veronica from the Latin Vera (true) and Icona (image). Later legends says that Veronica brought the Veil to Rome where the Veil cured the Emperor Tiberius from an unknown malady. In addition, she is said to have given the veil to Pope Clement - the 4th Pope.
However, other historical texts take the Veronica in a different direction.
She was also identified with the woman with the haemorrhage who touched the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed of a 12 year problem of bleeding. Jesus stopped and asked who touched Him and said that power went out from Him and healed her.
The Veronica, as indicated above, does NOT appear in the New Testament, although the story of the woman with the haemorrhage DOES appear when she touches the hem of Jesus' garment and is cured.
EUSEBIUS (Church Historian circa 320-325) does not mention Veronica or the Veil, but mentions the woman with the Haemorrhage. (
Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History: V11-18) in 325 A.D. from Luke 8: 43-48; Matthew 9: 21-22).
ACTS OF PILATE (ACTA PILATI).
It was not long before a name was given to this woman in a work called the Acts of Pilate - an apocryphal writing also called the Gospel of Nicodemus around 380 A.D. In this work, mention is made of the name of Veronica and she is associated with the woman healed by Jesus. No mention is made of the Veil or Legend. However, it should be noted that, since the term Veronica means Vera Icona or True Image, it is possible that the Legend was known but not reiterated in this work.
Further, the Acts of Pilate dating from approximately 380 A.D. are considered by historians to be a work which grew over the centuries allegedly from the records Pilate kept at the Praetorium at the Fortress Antonia when he was Governor. He, however, was not the author. However, Justin Martyr mentions the Acts of Pilate around 163 A.D. in two letters which he wrote to the Emperor and the Governor of Rome indicating that they heard these things (about Jesus) from the Acts of Pilate.
No mention is made of the Veronica, but it is possible that an early version might have been circulating and was included was known to Justin.
Tertullian, an early Church Father, also mentions the Acts of Pilate toward the end of the Second Century.
The Avenging of the Saviour:
In the late 7th Century mention is made of the name of Veronica and, for the first time, the Legend of the imprinted cloth which healed the Emperor Tiberius is mentioned. The work is also referred to at the Cura Sanitatis Tiberii - The Cure of the Emperor Tiberius.
Now... What happened to the Veil?.. Where is it?...
When the Bible doesn't back it up... It needs no attention or clarification..
Check your traditions with the Word of God.... Whatever you practice need not be true...
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