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St. Veronica

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › St. Mary and the Saints › St. Veronica

The question

I hear a lot about a lady by the name of Veronica who was said to have wiped the face of our Lord on His way to Calvary. She is honored with a feast day in the Catholic Church, and illustrated in the Stations of the Cross. She was also shown in the recent movie by Mel Gibson, "The Passion of the Christ". I am just very curious to know of the Coptic Church's view on Veronica, and the veil which she had used to wipe the face of our Lord.

The answer

Although there is no historical evidence or scriptural reference to this event, the legend of Veronica became popular in Christian tradition and the veil one of the beloved relics in the Catholic Church. Even though Veronica is not one of the saints celebrated or mentioned in our Synaxarium, our Coptic Church does not refute this event.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 992 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.