HOLY FACE PRAYERS

The Golden Arrow Prayer

May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible, and unutterable Name of God be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored, and glorified, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,* by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen.

The Holy Face Prayer

Eternal Father, we offer You the Holy Face of Jesus, covered with blood, sweat, dust and spittle, in reparation for the crimes of communists, blasphemies, and for the profaners of the Holy Name and of the Holy Day of Sunday. Amen.

Bl. Mother Maria Pierina De Micheli

“Eternal Father, we offer Thee, with the hands of Mary, the Holy Face of Jesus, Thy Son, and the entire generous holocaust of all that we are, in reparation for so many sins that are committed, and, especially, for offenses against the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. We make this offering, in a particular way, so that Priests, by the holiness of their lives, may show the world the adorable features of the Divine Countenance shining with the light of truth and love, for the triumph of the Church, and for the spread of the Kingdom.” Bl. Mother Maria Pierina De Micheli, “Missionary of the Holy Face”

Offering of the Holy Face of Our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father

Eternal Father, turn away Your angry gaze from our guilty people whose face has become unsightly in Your eyes. Look instead upon the Face of Your beloved Son, in Whom You are well pleased. We now offer You this Holy Face, covered with shame and disfigured by bloody bruises, in reparation for the crimes of our age, in order to appease Your anger, justly provoked against us. Because Your Divine Son, our Redeemer, has taken upon His Head all the sins of His members, that they might be spared, we now beg You, Eternal Father, to grant us mercy. Amen.

An Aspiration to the Eternal Father to be Frequently Recited During the Day

Eternal Father, we offer You the Holy Face of Jesus, covered with blood, sweat, dust, and spittle, in reparation for our sins and the sins of the whole world.

Aspiration to the Holy Face

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Adorable Face of Thy Beloved Son, for the honour and glory of Thy Holy Name, for the conversion of sinners and for the salvation of the dying.

(This short aspiration is particularly beneficial for the sick and especially for the dying)

Offering of the Sacred Heart

Eternal Father, look upon the Sacred Heart of Jesus which I offer to You as a vase, that It might receive the wine of Your Justice, so that in passing through this Holy Channel, Your Justice may be changed for us into the Wine of Your Mercy! Amen.

Prayer to Reproduce the Image of God in our Souls

Our Lord told Sister Mary of St. Peter that the Image of His Holy Face is like a Divine Stamp which, if applied to souls, through prayer, has the power of imprinting anew within them the Image of God.

I Salute You, I adore You, and I love You, oh adorable Face of my Beloved Jesus, as the noble stamp of the Divinity! Completely surrendering my soul to You, I most humbly beg You to stamp this seal upon us all, so that the Image of God may once more be reproduced by its imprint in our souls. Amen.

Prayer to Obtain the Settlement of all Our Needs

Oh, Eternal Father, since it has pleased our Divine Saviour to reveal to mankind in our present century the power residing in His Holy Face, we now avail ourselves of this treasure in our great needs. Since our Saviour Himself promised that by offering to You, oh Eternal Father, the Holy Face disfigured in the Passion, we can procure the settlement of all our affairs, and that nothing whatsoever will be refused us, we now come before Your Throne.

Offering to You, oh God, this adorable Countenance, disfigured with painful bruises and covered with shame and confusion, we beg through the merits of this Holy Face to obtain these, our pressing needs.

Grant us pardon, Eternal Father, for the worst crimes of our age, which are atheism, blasphemy, and the desecration of Your holy days. May this offering of the Holy Face of our Saviour before Your throne obtain for us deliverance from these evils.

Send us, oh God, many vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life, so that by their prayers, their works, and their sacrifices, they may spread the blessings of Your Church and confound Your enemies. Amen.

Prayer for Our Country

Eternal Father, we offer You the Adorable Face of Your well-beloved Son, for the Honour and Glory of Your Holy Name, and for the salvation of our country. Amen.

Act of Reparation for Blasphemy and the Violation of Sunday

O God! infinitely worthy of all adoration and love, I prostrate myself at Thy feet, filled with grief for the blasphemies uttered against Thy Holy Name, and for the offenses committed against Thy Divine worship and the observances of Thy Church.

O my God! this blasphemy is the profanation of that which is most holy in the sight of Thine inaccessible sanctuary; it is an attack upon Thine infinite majesty, an outrage against the Face of Thy Divine Son, a crime without excuse, without any other motive than that wickedness which hates Thee, O God, infinitely worthy of all love! We beg pardon, O Lord, a thousand times pardon, for these blasphemies. Would that we could prevent them by the sacrifice of all that we are, or that we possess! At least it is in the sincerity of our hearts that we desire with all our power to combat this horrible crime, and for all we hear or know to offer instantly, by the merits of the Face of Thy Christ, our humble and sorrowful expiation.

But that which is most grievous to us is that while blasphemy and infidelity daily increase, the adoration due to Thee diminishes. Alas! now, even more than in the days of the prophet Ezechiel, men neglect and profane Thy holy days because their hearts are given to idols. Slaves of avarice and of pleasure, they no longer have time for Thy worship or attraction to Thine altars. O Lord! grant us the grace to make reparation for this contempt and forgetfulness of Thee / by the zeal and fervour of our adoration.

Vs. – May the most Adorable Name of the Lord be glorified forever!

Rs. – Amen!

Vs. – May the holy days of Thy Church be sanctified by all men!

Rs. – Amen!

Vs. – Behold, O God, our protector

Rs. – And look upon the Face of Thy Christ.

– PSALM 83, VS. 10

Offering to the Eternal Father

O Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Face of Your Son Jesus. We present it to You with confidence to implore Your pardon. The All-Merciful Advocate opens His mouth to plead our cause; hear His cries, behold His tears, O God, and through His infinite merits hearken to Him when He intercedes for us poor and miserable sinners.

PRAYER

O Lord Jesus Christ, in presenting ourselves before Your adorable Face, to ask of You the graces of which we stand most in need, we beseech You, above all, to give us that interior disposition of never refusing at any time to do what You require of us by Your holy commandments and Your Divine inspirations.

O good Jesus, Who has said: “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you,” give us, O Lord, that faith which obtains all, or supply in us what may be deficient. Grant us, by the pure effect of Your charity and for Your eternal glory, the graces which we need and which we look for from Your infinite mercy, particularly: (Here mention the favour you desire) … Amen.

Be merciful to us, O God, and reject not our prayers when, amid our afflictions, we call upon Your holy Name and seek with love and confidence Your adorable Face. Amen.

We thank You, O Lord, for all Your benefits, and we entreat You to engrave in our hearts feelings of love and gratitude, putting upon our lips songs of thanksgiving to Your eternal praise. Amen.

Prayer of St. Therese of Lisieux to the Holy Face

O Jesus, who in Thy bitter Passion didst become “the most abject of men, a man of sorrows”, I venerate Thy Sacred Face whereon there once did shine the beauty and sweetness of the Godhead; but now it has become for me as if it were the face of a leper! Nevertheless, under those disfigured features, I recognize Thy infinite Love and I am consumed with the desire to love Thee and make Thee loved by all men. The tears which well up abundantly in Thy sacred eyes appear to me as so many precious pearls that I love to gather up, in order to purchase the souls of poor sinners by means of their infinite value. O Jesus, whose adorable Face ravishes my heart, I implore Thee to fix deep within me Thy divine image and to set me on fire with Thy Love, that I may be found worthy to come to the contemplation of Thy glorious Face in Heaven. Amen.

Prayer of St. Therese of Lisieux to the Holy Face

(Holy Face booklet)

Adorable Face of Jesus, sole beauty which ravishes my heart, deign to impress your divine likeness upon me, so that you cannot look at me without contemplating yourself… I submit to you not to see here below, the sweetness of of your gaze, but I beg you to make me glow with your love, so that it will rapidly consume me and make me to soon appear before you.

Prayer for Sinners (by St. Therese)

Eternal Father, since You have given me for my inheritance the adorable Face of Your Divine Son, I offer that Face to You, and I beg You, in exchange for this coin of infinite value, to forget the ingratitude of souls dedicated to You, and to pardon all poor sinners.

PRAYERS OF VENERABLE LEO DU PONT

1

Adorable Face of my Jesus, my only Love, my Light and my Life, grant that I may see, know, and love You alone, that I may live by You, and for You. Amen.

2

Lord Jesus, at the sight of your Holy Face, disfigured by sorrow, and of your heart so full of love, I wish to say to you with St. Augustine: “Lord Jesus, imprint your sacred wounds upon my heart, so that I may at the same time read your grief therein, so as to suffer for you all sorrow; your Love, in order to despise for your sake all love which is opposed to you.

3

Lord Jesus, as we present ourselves before your adorable Face we humbly ask for the graces we mostly need. We beg you particularly to grant us an inward disposition so that we may never refuse whatever you ask of us daily through your commandments and divine inspirations.

4

O my Lord, hanging so pitifully on the tree of the cross, at the time of the Passion for the redemption of the world! Have mercy on us miserable sinners even at this day, look upon us with compassion, and grant us your peace.

Offering of the Holy Face (by St. John Vianney, The Cure of Ars)

Oh, my beautiful Immaculate Mother Mary, Queen of Sorrows, I beg of you, by the inexpressible agony you did endure at the foot of the Cross, to offer to the Eternal Father, in my stead, the Holy Face of your Divine Son, my Jesus, covered with Blood, wounds, and other indignities heaped upon Him during His Sacred Passion, and beg of Him to grant … (Here mention the grace or favour you desire). Amen.

PRAYER ATTRIBUTED TO SAINT EDMUND

May I expire of the burning thirst to see the adorable Face of our Lord Jesus Christ.

An Act of Reparation for Blasphemies Against the Blessed Virgin Mary

Most glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, turn your eyes in pity upon us, miserable sinners; we are sorely afflicted by the many evils that surround us in this life, but especially do we feel our hearts break within us upon hearing the dreadful insults and blasphemies uttered against you, O Virgin Immaculate.

We desire to love you and to honour you with all our hearts, O most holy Mother, since this is the will of God. And just because we love you, we will do all that is in our power to make you honoured and loved by all men. In the meantime may you, our merciful Mother, the supreme comforter of the afflicted, accept this our act of reparation which we offer you for ourselves and for our families, as well as for those who impiously blaspheme you, not knowing what they say. May you obtain for them from Almighty God the grace of conversion, and thus render more manifest and more glorious your kindness, your power, and your great mercy. May they join with us in proclaiming you blessed among women, the Immaculate Virgin, and most compassionate Mother of God.

PRAY 3 HAIL MARY’S

Prayer to St. Joseph

O most faithful Saint Joseph, you who in your earthly life were ever faithful in keeping the law of God, grant that the day may soon come when all Christian people shall refrain from those works that are forbidden on Sundays by God’s law, and shall devote themselves earnestly to the salvation of their souls. Teach us, like you, to gaze with love and devotion on the Face of Jesus, and to give glory to God, Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

A Prayer for Priests

O Jesus, Eternal Priest, keep Your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Your Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with Your Precious Blood. Keep pure and unworldly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of Your priesthood. Let Your holy love surround them from the world’s contagion. Bless their labours with abundant fruit and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and their everlasting crown hereafter. Amen.

The Divine Praises in Reparation for Blasphemies

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother,
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste Spouse.
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.

THE LITANY OF THE HOLY FACE

(The Litany was composed by Sister Mary of St. Peter, and approved by Mgr. Morlot, Archbishop of Tours, in 1847. This Litany is from the Manual of the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face (1887), pg 150.)

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

Holy Virgin Mary, pray for us.

(After each of the following phrases, say “have mercy on us”)

O adorable Face, which was adored with profound respect by Mary and Joseph when they saw Thee for the first time, have mercy on us.
O adorable Face, which in the Stable of Bethlehem didst ravish with joy the angels, the shepherds and the Magi,
O adorable Face, which in the Temple didst transpierce with a dart of love the saintly old man Simeon and the prophetess Anna,
O adorable Face, which was bathed in tears in Thy holy infancy,
O adorable Face, which, when Thou didst appear in the Temple at twelve years of age, didst fill with admiration the Doctors of the law,
O adorable Face, white with purity and ruddy with charity,
O adorable Face, more beautiful than the sun, more lovely than the moon, more brilliant than the stars,
O adorable Face, fresher than the roses of spring,
O adorable Face, more precious than gold, silver, and diamonds
O adorable Face, whose charms are so ravishing, and whose grace is so attractive,
O adorable Face, whose every feature is characterized by nobility,
O adorable Face, contemplated by angels,
O adorable Face, sweet delectation of the Saints,
O adorable Face, masterpiece of the Holy Ghost, in which the Eternal Father is well pleased.
O adorable Face, delight of Mary and Joseph,
O adorable Face, ineffable mirror of the Divine perfections,
O adorable Face, whose beauty is always ancient and always new,
O adorable Face, which appeasest the wrath of God,
O adorable Face, which makest the devils tremble,
O adorable Face, treasure of graces and of blessings,
O adorable Face, exposed in the desert to the inclemencies of the weather,
O adorable Face, scorched with the heat of the sun and bathed with sweat in Thy journeys, O adorable Face, whose expression is all divine,
O adorable Face, whose modesty and sweetness attracted both the just and sinners,
O adorable Face, which gavest a holy kiss to the little children, after having blessed them,
O adorable Face, troubled and weeping at the tomb of Lazarus,
O adorable Face, brilliant as the sun, and radiant with glory on the Mountain of Tabor,
O adorable Face, sorrowful at the sight of Jerusalem, and shedding tears on that ungrateful city,
O adorable Face, bowed down to the earth, in the Garden of Olives, and covered with confusion for our sins,
O adorable Face, bathed in a bloody sweat,
O adorable Face, kissed by the traitor Judas,
O adorable Face, whose sanctity and majesty smote the soldiers with fear and cast them to the ground,
O adorable Face, struck by a vile servant, shamefully blindfolded, and profaned by the sacrilegious hands of Thine enemies,
O adorable Face, defiled with spittle, and bruised by innumerable buffets and blows,
O adorable Face, whose Divine look wounded the heart of Peter, with a dart of sorrow and love,
O adorable Face, humbled for us at the tribunals of Jerusalem,
O adorable Face, which didst preserve Thy serenity when Pilate pronounced the fatal sentence,
O adorable Face, covered with sweat and blood, and falling in the mire under the heavy weight of the Cross,
O adorable Face, worthy of all our respect, veneration and worship,
O adorable Face, wiped with a veil by a pious woman on the road to Calvary,
O adorable Face, raised on the instrument of most shameful punishment,
O adorable Face, whose brow was covered with Thorns,
O adorable Face, whose eyes were filled with tears of blood,
O adorable Face, into whose mouth was poured gall and vinegar,
O adorable Face, whose hair and beard were plucked out by the executioners,
O adorable Face, which was made like to that of a leper,
O adorable Face, whose incomparable beauty was obscured under the dreadful cloud of the sins of the world,
O adorable Face, covered with the sad shades of death,
O adorable Face, washed and anointed by Mary and the holy women and wrapped in a shroud,
O adorable Face, inclosed in the sepulchre,
O adorable Face, all resplendent with glory and beauty on the day of the Resurrection, O adorable Face, all dazzling with light at the moment of Thy Ascension,
O adorable Face, hidden in the Eucharist,
O adorable Face, which will appear at the end of time, in the clouds, with great power and great majesty,
O adorable Face, which wilt cause sinners to tremble,
O adorable Face, which wilt fill the just with joy for all eternity,

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.