“Although there is no scriptural evidence for the event, popular devotion has named a woman who comes forward as Jesus is walking to Calvary and wipes his face with the veil she is wearing. Jesus in gratitude for her kindness allows a perfect portrait of his own face to be formed on her veil with the very elements that are wiped from his face. The name of the woman is Veronica, a name which means ‘true image.’” (Jim Nisbet, Stations of the Cross: the devotion and its history)
Jesus left with the one called ‘true image’ the “imprint of that face of suffering that hid the beauty of God the only impression of His face which Christ Himself gave to us on earth, the only one that He has given to remain with us through time…Until Veronica came to Him on His way to Calvary, Christ was blinded by blood and sweat and tears. The merciful hands of Veronica wiped the blindness from His eyes; looking into her face, He saw His own beauty reflected in it. He saw His own eyes looking back at Him from hers. She had done this thing in the power in which alone she could do it, the power of Christ’s own love.” (Caryll Houslander, The Way of the Cross)
Prayer of Praise: “I adore you, O Christ, and I bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”