St. Veronica

According to a pious tradition, one of the holy women who followed Jesus wiped His face with her veil as He was carrying the cross to Calvary. He left the imprint of his face on this veil or towel. The image was called the vera icon (true image) and it was thought to have been kept in Rome; the name arose to distinguish it from other images not thought to be authentic. Vera icon became veronica and soon this name was attached to the holy woman herself. Many pious legends grew up around Veronica. According to one, Veronica was in Rome at the same time as St. Peter and St. Paul, because the emperor Tiberius had summoned her, hoping to be cured by the sacred image. In another legend, Veronica marries Zacheus, the tax collector who had climbed a tree to see Jesus; the couple goes to France to evangelize. There are two historical St. Veronica's: St. Veronica de Binasco, an Augustinian nun and St. Veronica Giuliani, a Capuchin nun.