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St. Veronica's feast day is July 12th. She is the patron saint
of Photographers and Laundry workers is symbolized by holding
a veil bearing the face of Christ and carrying the crown of thorns.
Legend says that a pious woman commonly referred to as 'Veronica'--though
she was one of many who accompanied Jesus Christ to he crucifixion
on Calvary--was so moved by His suffering she used her veil to
wipe His face and the imprint of his features remained on the
Veronica Veil.
Legend of Veronica states she took the veil from the Holy Land
and used it to cure the Emperor Tiberius of some illness. St.
Veronica is said to have left her veil with Pope Saint Clement.
Recordings claim Saint Veronica's Veil has been in Rome since
the command of Pope Boniface VIII in 1297.
Stories of St. Veronica report her to have been cured by Jesus
before his crucifixion. Her faith and her act of charity were
the reason He gave her the gift of his face upon her veil.
Some French folklore relates Patron Saint Veronica as the wife
of Zacchaeus, the tax collector (Luke 19:1-10). She accompanied
him to France, where he was called Amadour. When Amadour became
a hermit, St. Veronica moved to evangelize southern France. Others
say she is Martha, the sister of Lazarus, or a princess of Edessa,
or the wife of an unnamed Gallo-Roman officer. Whatever Veronica's
story she is honored as a patron saint of the Catholic Church.
A patron saint is a person who has been assigned by venerable
tradition or chosen through election as a special source of intersession
with God. These patrons are honored by clergy and special forms
of religious practices. The term 'patron' may be applied to a
church, a district a company or a corporation. In using the word
'titular', patron is applied only as a patron of a church or institution.
Both must have the rank of a canonized saint.
Certain Catholic saints, associated with certain life situations,
intercede to God for us. They are chosen as special protectors
or guardians over areas of life such as occupations, illnesses,
churches, countries, causes. Records as early as the fourth century
reveal that people and churches were named after apostles and
martyrs. Angels are also named as patron saints. All patrons are
given a feast day or special day of worship.
During the first three centuries A.D. the faithful gathered to
worship in private houses or even in cemeteries. The Christians
suffered sever persecution during that time and were forced to
choose places where they could gather to worship in seclusion.
In the city of Rome many Christians resided in the catacombs (underground
tombs and travel ways) for their own protection. Some of those
catacombs have been preserved and remain in tact beneath the area
we now called 'The Vatican City' or central of the western Catholic
Church. During those days of persecution the most memorable were
those who sacrificed their lives for their Christian faith,
After Constantine granted peace to the Church sacred edifices
or relics of saints were freely erected. Christians have always
held reverence for memory of the heroes who had sealed their faith
with blood and the places where martyrs were buried became churches
or shrines in their names. Larger churches became known as basilicas
In the seventeenth century Pope Urban VIII created rules that
should guide the faithful in the selection of patrons for churches,
cities and countries. These rules must be considered. (1) The
possession of the body or some important relic of the saint; (2)
his announcement of the Gospel to the nation; (3) his labors or
death in the locality; (4) his adoption as the national patron;
(5) the special devotion of the founder of the church; (6) the
spirit of ecclesiastical devotion at a given time.
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