'The medal of the Holy Face of Jesus was requested by Our Blessed Mother to Sr. Maria Pierina De Micheli in March 1938. It was requested as a “weapon of defense, a shield of courage, a guarantee of love and of mercy in these times of sexuality and hatred towards God and the Church.” Taken from: Association of the Holy Face Web Site

The medal has a twofold message for us. On the front we see an image of the Face of Jesus (based on the Turin Shroud) and around the border the inscription in Latin, "illumina Domine Vultum Tuum super nos" (may the light of your Face, O Lord, shine upon us).
On the reverse side of the medal is a Host surrounded by rays, with the following words: "Mane nobiscum Domine” (Stay with us, O Lord). It signifies the Holy Eucharist, our greatest act of worship. Jesus remains with us in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and He is present at all times in the form of the consecrated Host in the Tabernacles of our churches - waiting for a visit from us to keep Him company.

The medal was made in all its details under the supervision of Sister Maria Pierina in 1940. (see below)

"All those who shall wear this medal and make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament every Tuesday, if they can, they will have a happy death under the loving gaze of my Divine Son" - promise made to Sr. Maria Pierina from the Blessed Virgin Mary. back

THE STORY OF THE MEDAL
The Holy Face medal was given to us in 1940 through a devout Italian nun, Sister Maria Pierina. Mother Pierina was born "Giuseppina de Micheli", in a small town near Milan, Italy. In 1916, when still a young girl, she entered the religious congregation of the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception. From childhood Giuseppina had a deep devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus in its sorrowful aspect, especially as it is seen on the Shroud of Turin.

Her first mystical experiences of the Holy Face began in 1916 and continued until her death in 1945.

The origins of the medal of the Holy Face go back to the night of the first Friday in Lent 1936. During her prayers that night, Sister Pierina had a vision of the Lord Jesus, who spoke these words to her:

In a revelation the following year, 1937, Our Lord told Sister Pierina:

“Souls contemplating my Face participate in my sorrow. They feel the necessity of love and reparation. Is not this the true devotion to my heart?”

Maria’s mystical experiences became more frequent and more intense, until in May 1938 she had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was carrying a scapular in her hands. One panel of the scapular had the Holy Face of Jesus on it, and the words

“Let, O Lord, the light of thy face shine upon us”.

The other panel had an image of the communion host (the ‘blessed sacrament’) surrounded by rays of light, and the words

“Stay with us, Lord”.

Mary told Sister Pierina that people should wear such a scapular, because our age is a time of "lust, and hatred of God and his Church”; that the Devil has cast a net over the world to wrench the Faith from people’s hearts; that evils abound and that true disciples of Jesus are very few. She said:

“the remedy is the Holy Face of Jesus”, and the scapular would be for us “an armour of defense, a shield of strength … a token of love and mercy”.

Our Lady made certain promises to those who would wear the scapular, visit the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesdays to console our Lord for the injuries to his Holy Face, and receive holy communion each day: such people are assured that they

1. will be strengthened in faith;
2. will be prompted to defend the faith and quick to overcome all their trials, internal and external;
3. will have a peaceful death under the loving gaze of her Divine Son.

She was still mulling over these things when Jesus appeared to her again, and again revealed his sorrow through the wounds and sufferings of his Holy Face.

He told her that he wanted a special Feast on Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday) in honour of his Holy Face, to be preceded by a Novena (9 days) of prayers.

The following year, 1939, he appeared again, renewing his requests and repeating: “I wish that my Holy Face be honoured in a particular manner on Tuesdays”.

By now Sister Pierina was very anxious to have the scapular made, and spread devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus. With help from her Spiritual Director, she was able to arrange for copies of photographs of the Holy Shroud to be used in the casting of a medal. The designs of the two panels of the scapular were used for the front and back of the medal.

The exact sum of money needed for the work appeared miraculously on her desk one day, in an envelope from out of nowhere. Getting the medal cast was the best she could do, though she worried because it was not a scapular as Our Lady had requested.*

The very first medal was presented to Pope Pius XII, who at once welcomed and approved the devotion and the medal.

*In April 1943, the Blessed Virgin again appeared to Sister Pierina, and assured her that it was not important that people were wearing a medal rather than a scapular, and that all the promises still held good: “My daughter, be calm. The scapulars have been substituted by the medals, with the same promises and favours”

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1. I will grant them contrition so perfect that their very sins shall be changed in My sight into jewels of precious gold.

2. None of these persons shall ever be separated from Me.

3. In offering My Face to My Father, they will appease His anger and they will purchase as with celestial coin, pardon for poor sinners.

4. I will open My mouth to plead with My Father to grant all the petitions that they will present to Me.

5. I will illuminate them with My light, I will consume them with My love and I will render them fruitful of good works.

6. They will, as the pious Veronica, wipe My adorable Face outraged by sin, and I will imprint My divine Features in their souls.

7. At their death, I will renew in them the image of God effaced by sin.

8. By resemblance to My Face, they will shine more than many others in eternal life and the brilliancy of My Face will fill them with joy.

See page on Marie Pierre, for promises given specifically to her.

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