St. Padre Pio was known to pass around Holy Face Medals saying "This is your entrance ticket to Heaven."

The medal became famous for the miracles and spiritual favours associated with its use. In Our Blessed Mother’s own word, the medal is “a weapon for defense, a shield for courage, a token of love & mercy in these troubled days of lust, evil, loss of faith and hatred for God and for His Church.

Whoever wears this medal and, if possible, pays a weekly visit to the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesdays in a spirit of reparation to the Holy Face will be granted the gift of a strong Faith and the grace to fly to its defence conquering if need be all interior and exterior difficulties. Moreover, they will meet their death peacefully, under the loving gaze of my divine son.”

Veneration of the Holy Face of Jesus has its beginning during the very passion of Our Lord, making it one of the oldest devotions in the Christian tradition. This devotion originated with the sacred image of Our Lord that miraculously appeared on St. Veronica’s Veil. Below is a short account of how this devotion has spread from ancient times to today.

TIMELINE OF THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS DEVOTION
33 AD: St. Veronica, as a sign of her love and compassion, offered Our Savior a veil to wipe the blood and sweat from his face as he carried his cross. In reward for her charity and compassion, Jesus left an impression of his Holy Face upon the veil.  This meeting of Our Lord and St. Veronica is forever memorialized in the Stations of the Cross.  The meeting of Jesus and St. Veronica along his walk to the place of his crucifixion is the 6th Station.

Scene of St. Veronica and Jesus from The Passion of the Christ movie

1st – 4th c. AD: According to tradition, St. Veronica later entrusted the veil to St. Clement, a disciple of St. Peter who became the third Bishop of Rome. For the next three centuries the Holy Veil was kept in the Roman catacombs during the early persecutions of the Church. Eventually the Veronica’s Veil was placed in the Basilica of St. Peter and kept there until the present day.

An exact copy of the original Veronica’s veil made in 1617 during the reign of Pope Paul V

1843: Our Lord, in visions to Sister Marie of St. Peter, requested that a devotion to His Holy Face be established, also known as the “Golden Arrow.” The purpose of this devotion was to make amends for the wrongdoings in the world, as well as to request special intentions. Special prayers and promises were given to Sister Marie from Our Lord, who said:

“All who honor My Holy Face in a spirit of reparation thereby perform for Me the services of the pious Veronica.”

First set of 6 beads: In honor of the sense of touch of our Lord

Second: In honor of the sense of hearing of our Lord

Third: In honor of the sense of sight of our Lord

Fourth: In honor of the sense of smell of our Lord

Fifth: In honor of the sense of taste of our Lord

Final 3 beads: In honor of our Lord's public life

On the Cross pray, "O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me," followed by the Glory Be.

On each large bead pray, "My Jesus Mercy!" followed by one Glory Be.

On each small bead pray, "Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let all that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face.”

On the Holy Face medal say, "God, our Protector, look on us, and cast thine eyes upon the Face of Thy Christ.” Amen.

The "Golden Arrow" Prayer

(Dictated by Our Lord to Sister Mary of St. Peter)

"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."