Novena Prayer to the Holy Face of the Risen Lord (Holy Face of Manoppello)
Sign of the Cross
Priest/Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Hymn to the Holy Face
Holy Face of Manoppello, show us always the beauty of your countenance.
Response:
I prostrate before you pleading: O Holy Face, have mercy on me!
Holy Face of the Redeemer, source of graces and flame of love. R.
Holy Face that yearns to speak to all and that wishes to be hearkened. R.
Holy Face that watches night and day and calling unto you all the humble of heart. R.
Holy Face that is forgotten by men and waiting to be loved. R.
Holy Face, the sweetness that radiates love and the refuge of sinners. R.
Holy Face, the most adorable countenance of the loving Father, be merciful to those who hope in you. R.
Holy Face of the true God and true Man, make me contemplate to you in heaven. R.
Prayer to the Holy Face by Saint John Paul II
All:
Lord Jesus, crucified and risen, the image of glory like the merciful Father. Holy Face that looks at us and searches for us; kind and merciful, who calls us for conversion and invites us to the fullness of love, we adore and bless you.
In your shining face, we learn to love and to be loved, to find freedom and reconciliation, to promote peace that radiates from you and leads to you.
In your glorified Face we learn to overcome every form of egoism, to hope against hope, to choose works of life against the actions of death.
Give us grace to put you at the center of our life, to remain faithful to our Christian vocation amidst dangers and changes in the world, to announce to all people the power of the Cross and the Word that saves; remind us to be vigilant and effective, to attend to the needs of the little ones, to understand the need of true freedom which has its beginning and likewise its end in you.
Lord, grant to your church the courage to stand like your Virgin Mother at the foot of the glorious Cross, and to stoop down at the crosses of all people in order to bring consolation, hope and comfort.
May the Spirit that you have given us bring into perfection the work of salvation so that the Holy Face may shine forever more. Amen.
Invocation
All:
O most Holy and amiable Face of our adorable Lord, with devout recollection of spirit, at the foot of this altar, on which you are exposed before our eyes, we wish to offer you a little crown of homage and affection during this holy novena.
Mercifully accept our devotion, fill us with all blessings, inflame our hearts with your holy love and sanctify our souls so that we may be worthy to stand before you and that our prayers may be pleasing to you. Amen.
Scriptural Reading and Reflection
Novena Prayer
Novena daily/weekly prayer
First day/week
All: Prostrate with tenderness and humility before your holy presence, we adore you, full of love for us, O most Holy Face of our beloved Redeemer.
With you, we feel the bitter sufferings when in the Garden of Gethsemane; you sweat with your own blood and received the betraying kiss of Judas.
We implore you, through the merits of your invincible love and patience, to grant us a perfect contrition for our sins, at the sight of which caused you to sweat blood and to suffer the outrage of a traitor who was the image of ours: miserable creatures who have betrayed you several times.
O Holy Face of Jesus, look at me and bless me, turn your face toward me.
O Holy Face of Jesus, have mercy on me and give me peace.
O Holy Face of Jesus, give me your holy blessing and deliver me from every evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Second day/week
All: We adore you, most lovable and precious Face of our beloved Jesus. We feel your unfathomable suffering when in the house of Annas, the high priest, you were treated like a hateful servant, beaten and stricken with heavy blows.
O, what sorrow we feel when we think that we have committed them once again in many ways and with many unworthy actions, which are horrible and barbarous attack against you! We humbly beg your forgiveness, imploring you, O most Holy Face, to grant us the strength to avoid offending you again in the future.
O Holy Face of Jesus, look at me and bless me, turn your face toward me.
O Holy Face of Jesus, have mercy on me and give me peace.
O Holy Face of Jesus, give me your holy blessing and deliver me from every evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Third day/week
All: O most sacred Face of our compassionate Jesus, who in the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, was covered with a flood of spittle, scourges and insults, we adore you. O most amiable Face, the desire and joy of angels; we are guilty of so many injuries inflicted on you. The Jews preceded us and perpetrated the wicked intentions and greed of our hearts! O most sacred Face, most worthy of all veneration and love, with weeping eyes we beg your mercy. O dearest Jesus we promise you, with the help of your most holy grace, never again to fall into such excesses.
O Holy Face of Jesus, look at me and bless me, turn your face toward me.
O Holy Face of Jesus, have mercy on me and give me peace.
O Holy Face of Jesus, give me your holy blessing and deliver me from every evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Fourth day/week
All: We adore you, venerable and most sacred Face of our dear Lord; we repent of the intense and repeated sufferings you bore when the Jews instigated by Satan, pulled away with rage and violent fury, the hair from your head and your beard. O Jesus, through your goodness, make us benefit from the fruit of the vehement derisions and bitter pain you bore. Ardently we implore you, O most Holy Face with the hope that you will hear our community prayers, have pity on us.
O Holy Face of Jesus, look at me and bless me, turn your face toward me.
O Holy Face of Jesus, have mercy on me and give me peace.
O Holy Face of Jesus, give me your holy blessing and deliver me from every evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Fifth day/week
All: We adore you, splendid Face of the Son of God. Wicked hands covered you with dirtiest of cloth. O most beautiful and serene eyes that rejoice in heaven and on earth, how tremendous the commotion that took place around you! O most pure and innocent eyes; you paid the price of our curiosity and the unrestrained look of our guilty eyes.
Beloved Jesus, gaze at our souls always with your merciful eyes, so that we may never hide ourselves from your divine light. May our eyes never offend you again with immodest glance, and may they remain close at the sight of impure things so that they may always yearn for heavenly things.
O Holy Face of Jesus, look at me and bless me, turn your face toward me.
O Holy Face of Jesus, have mercy on me and give me peace.
O Holy Face of Jesus, give me your holy blessing and deliver me from every evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Sixth day/week
All: O most Holy and amiable Face of our Savior, we feel sorry for the confusion and suffering which you endured in all tribunals when they offended your ears with shouts of such uproar by demanding your death.
We realize that it was we ourselves who, through the Jews, shouted so cruelly and now we are sorry about it. We wish in the future, to use our tongue only to thank, to bless and to praise you. We wish to amend for so violent excess of mercilessness. O Lord, sanctify our mouth, so that at all times and in all places, we may praise and thank you alone.
O Holy Face of Jesus, look at me and bless me, turn your face toward me.
O Holy Face of Jesus, have mercy on me and give me peace.
O Holy Face of Jesus, give me your holy blessing and deliver me from every evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Seventh day/week
All: We adore you, O sacred Face of our most loving Redeemer, crowned with most sharp and severe thorns that pierced your serene eyes. O majestic countenance of the King of glory, we know too well, that the crown of thorns was a cruel consequence of our rash judgments, arrogant thoughts, impurity and revenge.
We acknowledge this, and now we humbly beg your pardon. O most beautiful Face from which streams of precious blood gush forth! Mercifully grant that today a drop may fall onto our hearts so that we may be made clean and purified from all filthiness. Beloved Jesus, in imitation of you, we wish to crown ourselves not with roses, not with the objects of pleasures of this earth, but only with thorns of your love.
O Holy Face of Jesus, look at me and bless me, turn your face toward me.
O Holy Face of Jesus, have mercy on me and give me peace.
O Holy Face of Jesus, give me your holy blessing and deliver me from every evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Eight day/week
All: We adore you, most Holy Face of our beloved Jesus. Throughout the tormented journey to Calvary, you were cruelly covered with dust and mire. We feel the intense and indescribable suffering that you endured with such offense. O Lord, in order to make reparation for that bitter derision, we wish to offer you many acts of praise, reverence, sacrifice and adoration. At the same time we beseech you, O most afflicted Face of our beloved Jesus, deign to show your sweetness and brightness with your smiling countenance; drive away from our souls the darkness of sin so that we may appear before you pure and holy at all times.
O Holy Face of Jesus, look at me and bless me, turn your face toward me.
O Holy Face of Jesus, have mercy on me and give me peace.
O Holy Face of Jesus, give me your holy blessing and deliver me from every evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Ninth and day/last week
All: We adore you, loving and most precious Face of Jesus. In adoration, we feel sorry for all your pains, and especially that which you suffered when you were compelled to drink myrrh and the bitterest gall. O mouth of Jesus, true fountain of all sweetness, the abominable drink given to you represents blasphemies, detractions, obscene talks and so many other outrageous insults.
O what anguish and torment we continually inflict on you whenever we engage ourselves in any of them. O most adorable and divine Face of Jesus, with words of authority, one day you shall pronounce the last judgment! We humbly pray, deign to open to us and mercifully admit us into your most blessed Kingdom.
O Holy Face of Jesus, look at me and bless me, turn your face toward me.
O Holy Face of Jesus, have mercy on me and give me peace.
O Holy Face of Jesus, give me your holy blessing and deliver me from every evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Leader:
O God, Father of infinite goodness and mercy, manifest to all who come before this sacred altar your divinity through the Holy Face of your beloved Son, disfigured because of his redeeming passion.
Deign, O God, that burning with love for you on this earth, we perform daily acts of mercy so that one day we may contemplate you in the splendor of your glory. We ask this through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.
Imploration to the Holy Face
Jesus Divine Savior, humbly prostrate before your holy image, we adore you in the deepest of our heart. We recognize the sign of your immense love in the passion, death and resurrection endured for our sake.
Cast your merciful eyes to our afflictions and console us. Do not abandon us in dire need and dreaded danger but pour upon us your saving protection, abundant grace and overflowing kindness.
May we contemplate your glory in heaven through your ineffable goodness. You who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Litany to the Holy Face
Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy, Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us, Christ graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity One God, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus that makes us see the Father, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, shining like the sun, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, mirror of every virtue, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, kissed by Mary and Joseph, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, adored by the shepherds and the wise men, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, transfigured on mount Tabor, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, full of goodness, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, weeping at the tomb of Lazarus, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, prostrate on the earth in Gethsemane, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, betrayed by the kiss of Judas, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, crowned with thorns, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, covered with spittle, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, forgiving the sinners, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, restoring health to the sick, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, ascended in the glory of heaven, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, waited for by the patriarchs, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, announced by the prophets, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, gazed by the apostles, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, courage of the martyrs, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, revered by true Christians, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, loved by the virgins, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us.
Adorable Face of Jesus, joy of the holy angels, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, forgive us O Lord,
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, hear us O Lord,
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the World, have mercy on us O Lord,
Let us pray
Lord Jesus Christ, who wished to impress the memory of your image so that we may be enlightened by the light of your face, grant us through the merits of your passion and cross, that having venerated it here on earth, we may deserve to see it with unending joy in heaven. You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Act of consecration to the Holy Face
O Adorable Face of Jesus, in return to your gaze of predilection on our souls, behold, we consecrate ourselves in a particular way to your service.
O Holy Face, you have not hidden your countenance as we look at you; from your lips you make us hear again the words of truth; we accept your sweet invitation: “Come to me you who are tired and weary; I will give you rest.” We, who are likewise tired and weary, turn to you, O Jesus in order to draw relief and comfort from you.
O Holy Face of Jesus, your sweet voice resounds to our ears and draws us to your heart; since you alone have words of eternal life, do not allow us to stray from the right path.
Most lovable Jesus, who in the garden of Gethsemane had experienced the profound sadness waiting in vain to be consoled by someone else. Now, we long to clean your disfigured face, to wipe your sweat, blood and tears, to remove the dust and spittle that defaced your countenance.
Adorable Face of Jesus, deign to rest on our shoulders; we shall weep with you; make us worthy in some way to participate in your sufferings.
Adorable Face of Jesus, You are before our eyes with the sign of your infinite love. You have loved us to the extent of giving your life to us. Thank you, Jesus. Help us to respond to your love with an act of greater love.
Lord Jesus, imprint in our soul the image of your Holy Face so that by your grace we may learn to love the way you loved, to live the way you lived, to pray the way you prayed. Grant so that someday we may contemplate your divine Face, shining in glory with an everlasting joy in your kingdom. Amen.
Leader/Priest: Let us pray
O Lord Jesus, look on us with your merciful love; turn your face toward us and heal our wounds so that by the power of your love we may obtain inner peace. Forgive our sins so that with humility and healed hearts we may likewise forgive, love and serve our neighbors. Amen.
Prayer over the People
Priest The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit
Priest: May the Lord bless you and keep you.
All: Amen.
Priest: May He let his face shine upon you and be gracious onto you.
All: Amen.
Priest: May the Lord give you His peace. (Preparation for the Eucharistic celebration)
All: Amen.
Prayer of healing and deliverance (after the final prayer on bended knees)
O most Holy Face, we, disciples of Yours, are not only unworthy servants but also worthless sinners; we do not deserve Your divine assistance. In spite of this, we turn to You since You alone have the words of eternal life and we have come to believe that you are the Savior, merciful like the Father.
Armed with this confidence, we humbly implore through Your most sorrowful passion, painful death, and glorious resurrection to relieve us, if it is Your will, of our physical sufferings (in silence, ask physical healing…) and spiritual afflictions (in silence, ask spiritual healing…).
We earnestly plead to You to deliver us from all dangers – physical and spiritual – that continually threaten our whole being. Cast the saving shadow of Your divine and human face and give us sound faith, steadfast hope, and unconditional love. Let us once again experience Your infinite mercy and share it to others, especially the needy, the sick, and those afflicted by all kinds of physical, spiritual and psychological pain and suffering.
Hearken our supplication and deign to grant our humble prayers (in silence, state your intentions…), confident of Your infinite mercy and kindness, we shall be grateful to You by performing spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
May You be our constant guide, protection, and strength in order to live to the fullness our Christian vocation as children of God. O Holy Face of Manoppello, the Veronica, have mercy on us. Amen.
Solemn invocation for healing and deliverance (Priest with the hands over the faithful)
Heavenly Father, grant the devotees of the human and divine Face of your Son, heavenly protection and grace; give them health of mind and body, perfect love for one another and make them always faithful to you. Amen.
Heavenly Father, bless the believers of the Holy Face of Manoppello and make them Holy so that avoiding evil, they may find in you the fulfillment of their longing. Amen.
Heavenly Father, bless the followers of the true Face of the Risen Lord who hope for your mercy; grant that they may receive the things they ask for at your prompting. Amen.
And may Almighty God bless you, the Father , of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
OR
Heavenly Father, deliver the disciples of the Holy Face from all dangers – visible and invisible – with the love that our Lord Jesus Christ showed us when he delivered himself to evil men and suffered the agony of the cross. Amen.
May the Holy Face bless you and keep you. Amen.
May He let His Face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. Amen.
May the Holy Face give you peace and shower upon you his divine graces, in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Priest: The Mass is ended go and spread the veneration and devotion to the Holy Face of Manoppello.
All: Thanks be to God.
