Become A Brave Defender Of The Holy Name Of God Through the Holy Face Devotion!
Have you heard about the devotion of reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus? It is a devotion that was first heard of through a Carmelite Nun named Sister Mary of St. Peter in France, 1844, who stated Our Lord revealed this devotion to her at Mount Carmel. Sister Mary of St. Peter stated that Our Lord wanted this devotion to be spread throughout the world with the goal of making reparation for the sins which offend God.
When a man named Leo Dupont took this devotion and started practicing it privately in his home nearby, repeated first class miracles started occurring, which lasted for a period of over 30 years! This immediately became the talk of France, and attracted the attention of the Catholic Church, who investigated and publicly recognized the miracles as authentic. These miracles attest to the authenticity of the revelations from Our Lord to Sister Mary of St. Peter.
In 1885, to bring attention to the importance of this devotion, Pope Leo XIII established this special devotion as an Archconfraternity; and contrary to custom, He immediately established it for the ENTIRE WORLD. Note that numerous indulgences have been granted from several Popes, including Pope Pius IX and Pope Leo XIII, to those devoted to Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus. Here are copies of the actual papal briefs by Pope Leo XIII in 1885:
FIRST BRIEF OF THE HOLY FATHER
According special indulgences to the confraternity of the Holy Face
(Translation)
Leo XIII Pope.
For a perpetual remembrance.
Having learnt that, in a public Oratory of the town of Tours, dedicated to the Holy Face of our Lord Jesus Christ, there exists a pious association of the faithful, Legitimately Established under the title of the Holy Face:
In order that this association may receive great increase day by day;
Putting all our confidence in the mercy of Almighty God, and in the authority of his Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, we grant:
I. To each and all the faithful of both sexes who shall enter into the said association, a plenary indulgence and the remission of all their sins on the first day of their entrance into the association, on condition that, being truly contrite and having confessed, they shall receive the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.
II. To such as shall have been already inscribed, or who shall be successively inscribed in the aforesaid association, a similar plenary indulgence at the article of death, provided that, being truly contrite, they confess and communicate, or if unable to do so, they at least, in a contrite spirit, devoutly invoke with their lips, or if that be not possible, with their heart, the Holy Name of Jesus.
III. To all and each of the brethren and sisters who are already, or who shall henceforward become members of the said association, a plenary indulgence on the feast of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles and the principal patron of the Confraternity, whether it be on the day itself of his feast, or at their pleasure on one of the seven days immediately following, provided that, being truly penitent, and having confessed and communicated, they devoutly visit the above mentioned Oratory, and that they there piously offer to God prayers for the concord of Christian princes, the extirpation of heresies, the conversion of sinners in the exaltation of holy mother Church.
IV. To the same persons, a similar plenary indulgence every year, on a day which must be fixed by the Ordinary, provided that they visit the above named Oratory fulfilling the conditions already mentioned, from the first vespers of that day to the setting of the sun (1);
In addition, we grant to the same members of the faithful, according to the usual form of the Church, and indulgence of 60 days for the remission of penances which have been enjoined upon them, or which they have merited on any occasion whatever:
I. Each time that, having at least a contrite heart, they shall devoutly assist at some pious exercise in the above named Oratory;
II. Each time that they shall piously kiss the sorrowful Face of Christ, the distinctive sign of their Confraternity, whether it be sculptured, or whether it be engraved or impressed upon a cross or a picture, adding this invocation: Lord, show us Thy Face, and we shall be saved;
III. Lastly, each time that they shall perform some other pious, or charitable act, in conformity with the object of their Confraternity.
We grant in the Lord, that all and every one of these Indulgences, remissions of sins and dispensations of penance, may be applied, by way of suffrage, to the souls of the faithful who have departed out of this world united to God through charity.
These presents have a value in perpetuity for the future.
Given at Rome, near St. Peter, under the ring of the fisherman, the 9th of December 1884, being the 7th year of our Pontificate.
Place of the seal.
For Monserigneur Cardinal Chisi,
O. Princhieri, substitute.
Examined and certified:
Tours, 16th December 1884.
Durand, vic. gen.
SECOND BRIEF OF THE HOLY FATHER
(Translation)
Leo XIII Pope.
For a perpetual remembrance.
We have been informed that, by our apostolical letters, dated 9th of December 1884, plenary and partial Indulgences were accorded to the pious Confraternity of the Holy Face, canonically established in the town of Tours. This said Confraternity has now addressed a petition to us, requesting that, for the greater spiritual good of the faithful and the salvation of souls, we would deign to enrich it still more by fresh treasures of celestial gifts. Therefore acceding to this pious request and being charged to open with tender charity the heavenly treasures of the Church, in order to promote the faith of our people and the salvation of souls;
I. We mercifully grant in the Lord, every year, on the day of the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, or on any one of the days of the octave which may be fixed upon, a plenary indulgence and the remission of all their sins to the faithful who are now, or who may henceforth become members of the above named Confraternity, provided that being sincerely penitent, and having confessed and communicated, they shall devoutly visit the public Oratory dedicated to the Holy Face in the town of Tours, and that they there pray for the concord of Christian princes, the extirpation of heresies, the conversion of sinners and the exaltation of holy mother Church;
II. Moreover to the same faithful, who, on any day whatever of the year which they shall choose, shall make a pilgrimage to the Oratory, whether in groups or singly, and shall there devoutly visit the picture of the Holy Face, and shall receive holy Communion and shall pray there in the manner stated above, we also grant, in the Lord, once a year, a plenary indulgence, in the remission of all their sins;
III. In addition, to the same associates, who, being at least of contrite heart, shall assist at the monthly meeting of the Confraternity, held either in the above mentioned Oratory, or in any church whatever, we remit in accordance with the usual form, 7 years and 7 quarantines of the penances which may have been enjoined upon them, or which are otherwise obligatory upon them, in any manner soever.
IV. We also consent that all and each one of these Indulgences, remissions of sins and dispensations from penances, may be applied, by way of suffrage, to the souls of the faithful who have departed from this world, united to God, by charity.
V. Lastly, by the tenour of these presents, we give to the above mentioned associates the faculty, if the weak state of their health prevents them from visiting their Oratory, in order to gain the plenary or partial indulgences, the power, freely and lawfully, with the permission and according to the judgment of their confessor, to change this act of piety for some other good work.
These presents are valid for 7 years only.
Given at Rome, near St. Peter, under the seal of the fisherman, the 30th March 1885, being the 8th year of our Pontificate.
Place of the seal.
Cardinal Ledochowski
Examined and permitted to be executed:
Tours, 22nd April 1885.
J. Buisson, vic. gen.
THIRD BRIEF OF THE HOLY FATHER
Brief of his Holiness Pope Leo XIII
Establishing THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF THE HOLY FACE
(Translation)
Leo XIII Pope.
For a perpetual remembrance.
According to the usages of Roman Pontiffs, our predecessors, we are accustomed to decorate and enrich with special honors and privileges the pious associations instituted for the practice of works of piety and charity. Our beloved sons, the directors and associates of the pious Confraternity known as that of the Holy Face, canonically established in the sanctuary of the same name, in the town of Tours, and enriched by us and the holy See with numerous privileges, have expressed to us the desire, that making use of the plenitude of our apostolic power, we should honor his association with the title of Archconfraternity and with the preeminence which is it’s due.
Desirous of giving to each and all of those in whose favor these letters are delivered a special mark of our benevolence, and only as regards the present case, considering them has absolved, and to be absolved from all sentences of excommunication and interdict, and from all the censures and ecclesiastical penalties which they may have incurred and which may have been inflicted on them in any manner or for any cause whatsoever, we, by our apostolical authority, in virtue of these presents, establish and constitute as a perpetual Archconfraternity, with the accustomed privileges, the so-called Confraternity of the Holy Face, established in the town of Tours. And by the same our authority, in virtue of these letters, we concede in grant in perpetuity, to the directors and colleagues present and future of the Archconfraternity, the power, validly and lawfully, to aggregate to itself, throughout the whole world, excepting in our glorious city, all the other Confraternities existing in the same name and having the same object, observing always the form prescribed by the Constitution of Pope Clement VIII, our predecessor of happy memory, and the other apostolical ordinances drawn up on the subject, as well as to communicate to all and each the Indulgences, remissions of sins and dispensations of penance, which have been granted by the holy apostolical See to the association so erected by us into an Archconfraternity, and which are susceptible of being communicated to others.
We decree that are present letters shall be, for the present and the future, fixed, valid and efficacious; that they shall obtain and possess their full and entire effects, that they shall fully favor all and for all, whom they concern and shall concern hereafter in accordance with what has been previously enumerated, and shall be judged and defined by ordinary judges and delegates, whoever they may be, even the auditors of the suits of the apostolic Palace, the Nuncios of the holy See, the Cardinals of the holy Roman Church, even legates a latere and all other personages, whatever their dignity and their power may be; entire power and authority to judge and interpret otherwise being withdrawn from them in general and in particular, so that if any one, whatever be the authority with which he is invested, attacks any of these clauses knowingly or through ignorance, his act shall be null and void.
And this notwithstanding the Constitutions and Apostolic ordinances, and, in as far as is necessary, the statutes, customs and uses contrary to the above named Confraternity and all others soever, even when they have been confirmed by apostolic oath or any other decision whatever.
Given at Rome, near St. Peter, under the ring of the fisherman, the 1st day of October 1885, being the 8th year of our Pontificate.
Place of the seal.
Cardinal Ledochowski.
Examined,
We command its execution and use
Guillaume-Rene,
Archbishop of Tours.
Place of the seal.
INDULGENCES GRANTED BY LEO XIII
(Applicable to the souls in purgatory.)
PLENARY INDULGENCES – 1. On the day of admission; 2. At the hour of death; 3. For every yearly pilgrimage made to the Oratory of the Holy Face; 4. On the feast of St. Peter, or on a day during the Octave; 5. On the feast of the Transfiguration, only day during the octave; 6. On Passion Sunday, or any other day fixed by the Ordinary.
In order to gain these last 3 indulgences, it is necessary to visit the seat of their Confraternity.
PARTIAL INDULGENCES – 7 years and 7 quarantines for each assistance at the monthly reunions.
60 days: 1. For each pious exercise performed at the seat of the Confraternity; 2. For any other work of piety offered in union with the object of the Association; 3. Each time a member devoutly kisses the effigy of the Holy Face repeating the invocation: Lord, show us that thy Face, and we shall be saved.
100 days for every prayer said before in effigy of the Holy Face. (Pius IX. December 11, 1876.)
40 days each time a member assists at any of the daily morning or evening exercises in the chapel of the Holy Face at Tours. (The Archbishop of Tours, November 15th 1876.)
The above indulgences which require that a visit should be made to the church, maybe gained by sick persons by virtue of some other act prescribes by the confessor. (Brief of the 30th March 1885.)
N. B. – The associates will endeavor to be faithful to their pious engagements, although these engagements, as they all know, do not impose an obligation of conscience, that is to say, do not oblige under penalty of sin.
ADVICE TO THE ASSOCIATES
I. To wear on their persons a picture of the Holy Face, to kiss it devoutly the 1st thing in the morning on awaking and at night before going to sleep, to consecrate their actions during the day to the divine Face, to resolve to perform them in its presence and before its eyes.
II. At the commencement of their prayers, or of any exercise of piety, has an easy means of placing themselves in the presence of God, and of combating distractions, to think of the Holy Face whose eyes are open and fixed upon us, to adore it with faith, to look at it with love.
III. In presence of the Blessed Sacrament, to recall to our remembrance the fact that the Face of the Savior is present there in the sacred Host: that it sees us, listens to us, blesses us, speaks to us interiorly.
IV. To endeavor in their conduct to imitate the virtues of patience, of gentleness, of serenity, of modesty, which shine in the Holy Face. Listen to the divine Master who said learn of me, and seeing me, that I am meek in face and humble of heart: knowing that, in fact the gentleness and humility of the heart of Jesus are, as in a very clear mirror, admirably reflected on the Face of the Man God.
V. In trials, sicknesses, accidents, temptations, to prostrate themselves before the picture of the Holy Face whether in their private Oratory, or above all, in the church of the Confraternity where it is specially exposed.
VI. To have in their houses a picture of the Holy Face which they shall honor as the protector of the family and the Guardian of the domestic hearth; to recite before it the prayers which are habitually said in common by the household.
VII. When they shall hear any blasphemies pronounced, or shall see and act of impious sacrilege which they cannot prevent, to recollect themselves and to pronounce with their hearts, if they cannot with their lips, the words: Behold, O God, our protector, and look upon the Face of thy Christ, or: May the Name of the Lord be blessed! Sit Nomen Domini benedictum!
VIII. To propagate the worship of the Holy Face in their locality, amongst their friends and acquaintances, and to make use of it in order to combat, in every possible manner, the terrible effects of indifference and irreligion.
Note that Saint Therese of Lisieux was also very dedicated to this devotion, which prompted to take the name, “Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face”. This devotion was universally practiced before World War I but unfortunately, has since become scarcely known. This website has been created in an attempt to revive this important devotion.
Many wonderful promises are attached to this devotion, which can be seen on our Revelations page in the menu above. To understand how this devotion came about and the miracles associated with it, see our Timeline page as well.
All remaining information on the Holy Face Devotion, including information on how to obtain a Holy Face Cross and chaplet to assist with this devotion, are available via the menu above.
