(1ST CENT.)
[Ferrarius in his Catalogue of the Saints. Some give March 25th as
the anniversary of the Crucifixion, and as therefore the most
appropriate day for the commemoration of the act, which has made
Veronica famous. The festival of S. Veronica with special office,
found its way into the Ambrosian Missal printed in 1555 and 1560,
but it was expunged by the judicious S. Charles Borromeo.]
On the 8th December, 1854, when the Eternal City was crowded with
bishops, assembled to promulgate the dogma of the Immaculate
Conception, Pius IX., at the expressed and urgent desire of the
prelates, allowed the sacred relics of the passion of Christ to be
exhibited in the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament at S. Peter's. In the
midst, over the altar, between burning tapers, loomed the veil of S.
Veronica, impressed with the sacred lineaments of the Saviour. None
but bishops were permitted to enter the chapel, all others looked
through a grating, and to them, from the depth of the chapel, the
portrait was wholly undistinguishable. One inferior ecclesiastic
alone, by especial favour, was suffered to enter, accompanying a
prelate. This was M. Barbier de Montault, canon of the basilica of
Anagni; and he took advantage of the opportunity to scrutinize closely
the miraculous portrait. He has fortunately communicated to the world
the result of his examination. His words are full of interest:--"The
Holy Face is enclosed in a frame of silver, partially gilt, and
square, of a severe character and little adorned. The simplicity of
the bordering gives prominence to the interior of the picture, which
is protected by a thin plate of crystal. Unfortunately, a sheet of
metal covers the field, and only leaves apparent the figure by
indicating its outline. By this outline one is led to conjecture
flowing hair reaching to the shoulders, and a short beard, bifurcated,
and small. The other features are so vaguely indicated, or so
completely effaced, that it requires the liveliest imagination in the
world to perceive traces of eyes or nose. In short, one does not see
the material of the substance, because of the useless intervention of
a metal plate, and the place of the impression exhibits only a
blackish surface, not giving any evidence of human features."[12]
The legend of the origin of this portrait is as follows: A holy woman,
named Bernice, or, as it has been Latinized, Veronica, lived on the
way to Calvary. As Christ was on the road bearing the cross, He fell
near her door, and she, moved with compassion, went to Him, and gently
wiped the sweat from His face with her veil or napkin. Then the
impression of the sacred countenance remained on the veil. Marianus
Scotus, the historian (d. 1086), tells the rest of the story thus:
"The emperor Tiberius was afflicted with leprosy. Hearing of the
miracles of Our Lord, he sent to Jerusalem for Him. But Christ was
already crucified, and had risen and was ascended into heaven. The
messengers of Tiberius, however, ascertained that a certain Veronica
possessed a portrait of Christ, impressed by the Saviour Himself on a
linen handkerchief, and preserved by her with reverence. Veronica was
persuaded by them to come to Rome, and the sight of the sacred image
restored the emperor to health. Pilate was then sentenced by him to
death, for having unjustly crucified our Lord." It is hardly necessary
to say that there is no foundation of truth for this addition to the
original story. How far the first part of the story is true it is
impossible to decide. It is by no means improbable that a pious woman
may have wiped the face of Christ.
Mabillon, the learned Benedictine, propounded the theory that each
early portrait of Christ was called, in barbarous jargon, a mixture of
Latin and Greek, _vera icon_, true image; and that later, a fable was
invented to account for the introduction of these representations into
Europe, and the name given to the image was transferred to the person
who was supposed to have brought it to the West. This explanation has
been generally adopted. "By the name of Veronica," says Baillet,
"nothing more was signified than the true image--_vera icon_ of the
Saviour painted on a handkerchief or piece of linen called the Holy
Sudarium, because, ordinarily, only the head of the Saviour from
before was represented on it, that is, the face and hair. Nothing
further was meant at Rome, where was to be seen, dating from the 12th
century, in the Church of S. Peter, one of these Veronicas, before
which lamps were kept burning day and night."[13]
But the legend itself seems to be an importation, not a fabrication,
as Mabillon suggested. For Constantine Porphyrogeneta (d. 959), in
whose reign the sacred Abgarus portrait of Christ was brought to
Constantinople, relates the following story of _that_ portrait:--"As
Christ was on His way to Calvary, bearing His cross, the blood and
sweat streaming from His brow obscured His eyes. Then taking from one
of His disciples a piece of linen, He wiped His face, and left thereon
His sacred portrait. S. Thomas preserved the towel till after the
Ascension, when he gave the miraculous picture to Thaddæus, who bore
it to Edessa. There he lodged with a Jew named Tobias. He began to
work miracles in the name of Christ. Abgarus, king of Edessa, hearing
of his works, sent for him. As Thaddæus entered the chamber of the
sick king, he elevated above his head the sacred picture, and at the
same time, such a blaze of light shot from his face, that Abgarus
could not endure the splendour, and, forgetful of his sickness, leaped
out of bed. Then he took the linen, covered his head and limbs with
it, and was forthwith made whole."
How it was that this venerable picture passed into the hands of the
Emperor of Constantinople we learn from the Arabic historian, El
Matzin.[14] He says that in the year 331 of Hegira, that is A.D.
953--which is a mistake for 944--the Greeks besieged the city of
Edessa, then in the hands of the Saracens, and demanded the surrender
of the holy picture and the accompanying letters of Abgarus and the
Saviour, in exchange for the captives they had made. The treasured
relics were handed over to the Christians, and were brought to
Byzantium, where they were placed in a befitting shrine in the church
of the Eternal Wisdom. What became of the picture when Constantinople
fell into the hands of the Mussulmans is uncertain. The Venetians
claimed to have brought it to Rome, and to have presented it to the
Church of S. Sylvester. The Genoese, on the other hand, lay claim to
the possession of the sacred portrait, and say that it was brought by
Leonard de Montalto, in 1384, to their city, and by him presented to
the Armenian Church of S. Bartholomew, where it is still preserved and
exhibited once a year.
We shall briefly notice such other portraits of Christ as claim to be
authentic, whether in colour or in writing. Of the former, that said
to have been painted by S. Luke is the most interesting. The Greek
monk Michael, in his life of his master, Theodore of the Studium,
relates that S. Luke painted a beautiful likeness of our Saviour. This
assertion was readily adopted by later writers. Among others, Simeon
Metaphrastes (fl. 936) repeats it, and S. Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274)
refers to the picture as existing in the Chapel of the Santa Scala, in
the Lateran, at Rome.
Another sacred painting of Christ by S. Luke is in the possession of
the Benedictines of Vallombrosa. This portrait is certainly of very
great antiquity, and is in tempora on a panel of cypress wood. The
features are strongly emphasized, the face long, the eyes large and
bright, with eyelids drooping, and arched brows.
Another sacred picture is that given by S. Peter to the Senator
Pudens, which is exhibited on Easter Day, in the monastery of S.
Praxedes. The story goes that it was sketched by S. Peter for the
daughters of Pudens, one evening at supper, on the napkin of Praxedes.
It will be remembered that when Christ was laid in the tomb, His body
was wrapped in fine linen, and a linen napkin was on his face. These
relics are said to be preserved at Besançon and Turin. The Turin linen
shows the bloodstained outline of the Saviour's body; that at Besançon
is marked with the ointments. The features are impressed on the
napkin, and are of the Byzantine type.
A crucifix, by Nicodemus, is exhibited in the cathedral of Lucca.
Another portrait is the Nazaræum, which is certainly of considerable
antiquity, and is probably the earliest extant copy of the famous
Edessa picture. It is in the Latin convent at Nazareth. This picture
is engraved in Abraham Norow's travels in Palestine. (S. Petersburg,
1844).
Let us now turn to the literary sketches of the portrait of our Lord
which have descended to us.
S. Jerome, (d. 420), says that in the face and eyes of Christ there
was something heavenly, so that from their glory and majesty the
hidden Godhead flashed forth. S. John of Damascus, (d. about 760), in
his letter to the Emperor Theophilus, says, "Christ was tall and
stately, had brows uniting over the nose, beautiful eyes, a large
nose, curled hair, and a black beard. His hair was a gold-brown, like
wheat, resembling that of his mother, and his head was bowed somewhat
forward."
The next, and more precise account is that of the apocryphal letter of
Lentulus, (who is supposed to have lived at the time of Christ, and to
have been about the person of Pilate, to the Roman senate,) which is
said to have been extracted from the Roman annals by a certain
Eutropius. This first appears in the writings of S. Anselm, (d. 1107).
"He is a man of tall stature, comely, having a venerable countenance,
which those beholding must love or fear. His hair is waving and
curled, rolling to his shoulders, having a parting in the middle of
the head, after the manner of the Nazarenes, a brow smooth and serene,
a face without wrinkle or blemish of any kind, rendered beautiful by a
moderate colour. There is no fault to be found with the nose and
mouth; he has a full and red beard, the colour of his locks, not long,
but forked, and eyes bright and changeable." Another version of this
letter adds that the hair was the colour of the hazel-nut, the eyes
greyish-blue, and full of light. "His hands and arms are beautiful. He
is terrible in reprehension, but mild and full of love in instruction;
cheerful, but with steadfast earnestness. No one ever saw Him laugh,
but often has He been seen to weep. Precise and modest in his speech,
he is in all perfect, and the fairest of the sons of men."
But the most precise and complete account is that of Nicephorus
Callistus, (fl. 1330). His description is as follows:--"He was
beautiful in body, his height seven complete spans, his hair was
yellowish, not bushy, and at the ends somewhat curled. His eyebrows
were black, only a little arched, and without break; his eyes were
hazel, of that description called bright-eyed, not dim, in no way
misformed, not wandering. His nose was prominent, his beard reddish,
not profuse, but the hair of his head was abundant, for never had
razor or hand of man shorn it. His neck was somewhat bent, so that he
did not walk perfectly upright; the colour of his face was a
yellow-brown, like ripe wheat; his face was not round, nor pointed,
but, like his mother's, a little drooping, and slightly blushing. His
very countenance indicated a man of intelligence, with manners grave,
calm, and removed from anger. In all things, he was like his most pure
mother."
And this is the account of S. Mary given by Nicephorus:--"Mary was in
everything modest and earnest; she spake little, and then only about
necessaries; she was very courteous, and rendered to all honour and
respect. She was of middle stature, though some assert her to have
been somewhat taller. She spake to all with an engaging frankness,
without laughing, without embarrassment, and especially without
rancour. She had a pale tint, light hair, piercing eyes, with
yellowish olive-coloured pupils. Her brows were arched and black, her
nose moderately long, her lips fresh, and full of amiability when
speaking; her face not round or pointed, but longish; hands and
fingers fairly long. Finally, she was without pride, simple, and
without guile; she had no insipidity about her, but was unassuming. In
her dress she was fond of the natural colour; in short, there was in
all her ways divine grace."[15]