Manoppello Image
The veil of Manoppello, also known as the Holy Face of Manoppello, is an icon on a gauzy cloth, venerated in the small Italian town of Manoppello in Abruzzo as a relic. In recent years, the cloth was known because of the mysteriousness of origin, material and located on it 's face.
Description of the cloth
The Volto Santo ( Italian for " Holy Face ") is a 17.5 cm wide and 24 cm high veil, which is kept in Manoppello since 1638 in the Capuchin church of Santuario del Volto Santo on the Tarignihügel outside the city. The cloth is shown since the 1960s in a double-sided glass reliquary from the early 18th century above the altar. Previously, the reliquary was in a dark side chapel where the cloth for the viewer was hardly recognizable. It has not been removed from the frame for centuries and has hitherto been studied only by means of microscopes and ultraviolet light.
The carrier material is on visual inspection, to an ultra soft cloth of fine linen, also called byssus, a substance that is extracted from the extremely fine and resistant anchor threads of living in the Mediterranean noble pen shell. The fabric was in antiquity and in the Middle Ages, one of the most precious ever. The craft of Byssusherstellung is now nearly extinct, making it difficult to assess the possibilities for processing. Byssus is deemed not to be painted and lightly colorable, yet could in microscopic examinations in 2003 and 2007 by Giulio Fanti, professor for non-invasive measurement technique in Padua, color pigments are detected on both sides of the cloth. After comparison with currently manufactured Byssusgeweben it has, however, seems as if the darker parts of the cloth retains the natural color, while the lighter parts of the face would be bleached.
The two upper triangular gusset made of another material, probably silk, and were obviously added later. The face is from both sides of the cloth, which is so fine that you could read a newspaper down underneath, equally, even if seen as a mirror image on a slide. Giuglio Fanti presented in its investigations, however small anatomical variations on the front and back of the cloth firmly. Against the light, the cloth is almost as transparent as clear glass.
The veil shows the face of a man with long hair, beard, eyes open and his mouth slightly open; his teeth are visible only from one side. On the face red spots are visible that are interpreted by some as wounds from torture or flagellation. It is amazing that the irregular proportions of the face and the position of the wounds with which the face match at the Turin grave cloth. All previously possible measurements allow one on the picture and connect the same person, which is noteworthy that both the material of the wipes and the nature of the portraits are completely opposite. The face on the veil can be iconographically a certain proximity to Tuscan Pre-and Early Renaissance recognize, however, is so atypical that an assignment to an art historical epoch or school is not possible. The artistic quality of the display seems excessive. The little advantageous acting face appears on reproductions flat, mouth and eyes are drawn and the nose and mouth are not in a line.
It is noteworthy that the veil of Manoppello as the grave Shroud of Turin appears to be unique; art history knows no analogous portrait. It looks at first glance painted, but appears vivid and alive with changing light. The colors change between different gold, bronze, brown and red tones, similar to the colors on a butterfly's wings. Can the image on the Turin grave cloth as a photographic negative actually only recognize correctly, the effect of the veil photographic reproduction escapes: The ever learn changing image on the veil can only be in the immediate intuition depending on the movement and perspective, especially in to be held twice a year processions through the town.
The assumption expressed in a ZDF report on Good Friday in 2007, the veil was due to thirteen supposedly detected pigments perhaps just painted, preclude the examination results of Pietro Baraldi April 30, 2007. Its made on site measurements with the so-called Raman spectroscope showed no deviation of the laser beam sent through the Byssustuch and thus no clue on organic (color) substances in the veil.
Hypotheses on the origin of the cloth
The veil as a cloth from the grave of Christ
Some theologians and researchers is believed that it is more RELATES to create an image as an imprint of the face of Jesus Christ, and that it came together with the Turin grave cloth and other fabrics from the grave of Jesus in Jerusalem. The research on the veil of Manoppello is, however, far less developed than that of the Turin grave cloth.
The veil would then be identical with one of the towels, most likely with said napkin, which are mentioned in the presentation of the discovery of the empty tomb after the Gospel of John:
"There went out Peter and the other disciple, and came to the grave; They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the first to the grave. He bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go. Then came Simon Peter following him, and went into the grave. He saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on Jesus' head; but it was not with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. (Jn 20.3 to 7 EU). "
This raises the question of which side of the curtain cloth, the impression side and showing the real side of the face of Christ. Based on the finding that the spear right and the distinctive nose injury on the other, thus left side was done, it follows that the back reflects the true image ( from the stairs ): The wound on the left side of the nose is resting on the mussel silk scarf page displayed in mirror image, so on the right side of the face. This page can be seen when entering the church. Are the other side, a slide comparable, the nose wound - applicable - on the left side of the face again; that is the position in the glass case in Manoppello taking into account the. visible from the stairs back of the linen - cloth
The difficulty with this interpretation, however, is that the veil does not reflect the impression of a face. If he had been placed around the body of Jesus on the face and the features of the dead would have signed it, the image would be distorted, but this is not the case.
Interpretation as Veil of Veronica
The Roman art historian Heinrich Pfeiffer is convinced that after twenty years of research on the veil of Manoppello that it is in the cloth around the actual Sudarium and the Veil of Veronica, once the most important and most revered relic in Christendom. Officially, there is the since the year 708 in Rome testified cloth in the chapel created as a mighty vault inside the pillar Veronica in St Peter's, which was built over the foundations of the Church. In this almost blackened cloth however is nothing more to see. Pfeiffer concludes that the Veil of Veronica had been missing since the demolition of the old St Peter's Basilica or the 1508 Sack of Rome in 1527 and replaced by another cloth because of iconographic studies. From the Vatican earlier this conjecture has been voiced, however, was never confirmed.
According to the local tradition, the Volto Santo was brought in 1506 by an unknown assailant after Manoppello, really testifies it is there but only since 1638, when it was handed over to the Capuchins.
Interpretation as a painting by Albrecht Dürer
Giorgio Vasari in his writings that Albrecht Dürer, who knew the grave Shroud of Turin from personal experience, a painted on linen self-portrait was sent to Raphael, which is said to have exhibited similar qualities, such as those observed in the Volto Santo. This self-portrait Dürer has been lost for centuries. The Italian art historian Roberto Falcinelli believes to have found it in the veil of Manoppello. However, the person portrayed has no resemblance to Albrecht Dürer, why Falcinelli assumes that the matter raised by the person depicted by Raphael. It should be noted also that the concept of fine linen was used not only for the rare sea silk, but generally for very delicate, silky fabrics.
Benedict XVI's visit. and collection of the Church of the Minor Basilica
Pope Benedict XVI. pilgrimage as the first Pope on September 1, 2006 on a private pilgrimage to Manoppello to pray after receipt by Archbishop Bruno Forte of Chieti - Vasto before the Volto Santo and look at it up close. Apart from the granting of a plenary indulgence of temporal punishment for all Manoppellopilger by Pope Clement XI. in 1718 the cloth was scarcely considered by Rome, and Benedict XVI. became aware only after a newspaper report in the world of 23 September 2004 on. Pope Benedict did not say anything to the debate on the origin of the image. He said this is a " place where we can reflect on the mystery of divine love, by looking at the icon of the Holy Face " and he thanked " the community of Capuchin Fathers who contributes to this sanctuary for centuries concern." He then met in the vestry of the church with the scientists Sr. Blandina Paschalis Schlömer, Heinrich Pfeiffer, Andreas Resch and journalist Paul Badde and Saverio Gaeta together, according to their opinions, the veil of Manoppello with the Veil of Veronica was identical. Benedict XVI. however, has canonically avoided the name of the veil as a relic by the use of the term icon. An icon is basically a painted image of people.
By decree of 22 September 2006 gave Benedict XVI. " To the glory of the Holy Face of Our Lord Jesus Christ," the church the title of minor basilica. This survey was granted according to decree, " the connection and veneration of the Chair of Saint Peter to strengthen this important church " and to confirm them as a center of special liturgical and pastoral activities. Following the papal visit to the shrine of Saint Therese of Lisieux, whose religious name the enclosing " the Holy Face " bears have been prepared from 2 to 4 November 2006 in front of the Volto Santo.