Holy Face of Jesus in Atchison
By Derya Rix
Devotion to the face and image of Our Lord, universal among the Catholic faithful, is expressed in particular ways here in Atchison.
This article was originally published in our May 2025 Kansas Monks newsletter. Read the whole newsletter at www.kansasmonks.org/newsletter/may2025
There are many false faces in this world of ours. We see faces that have been distorted by a life of debauchery and gluttony. We see faces that have been “corrected” by surgery. We see faces whose imperfections have been removed by filters or apps. On one hand, we seek perfection and beauty as we have fashioned them in our minds. On the other hand, we extinguish the things that give light to our eyes and bring transcendental beauty to our faces.
In this beauty-obsessed, false world of ours, the words of St. Thérèse come across as jarring:
“These words of Isaiah, ‘Who has believed our report? … There is no beauty in Him, no comeliness …’ have been the whole foundation of my devotion to the Holy Face, or, to express it better, the foundation of my whole piety. I also have desired to be without beauty, to tread the wine press alone, unknown to every creature.”
These words do not necessarily inspire our modern hearts as we chase after the next reel, the next delicious recipe, or the next brand-new car. Our desire to be known and to be beautiful has become utterly worldly and separates from the Beauty who yearns for us and after whom our hearts chase.
One particular devotion has resurfaced during these times, as the Lord knows what we need in the holes we dig for ourselves. The Holy Face Devotion reorients us toward the Holy Face of Christ, who has suffered for us.
In our small town of Atchison, two people have been working to draw our eyes back to the Holy Face of Christ instead of examining our own faces in the mirror or the faces of our neighbors at home, at work, or on our phones. The first is Mary Jane Zuzolo, the author of a book titled Unveiling the Sixth Station of the Cross: Reparation to the Holy Face, Mother of All Devotion. Zuzolo is a great-great-niece of Sr. Marie de St. Pierre, the French Carmelite nun who received approved revelations from Christ to initiate the Holy Face Devotion.
Her book uncovers the history of this ancient devotion through the life of Sr. Marie. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, a blasphemous and irreversible spirit swept through Europe. Sr. Marie was born into a world thus poisoned in 1816. Even though as a child she was not particularly pious, her life was altered dramatically after her first confession, eventually leading to her entry into Carmel. It was there that Our Lord asked her to spread the need for reparation and adoration through devotion to His Holy Face. Zuzolo aims to help her readers understand the extent of the pain blasphemy causes Christ. Sr. Marie mentioned that Our Lord made her visualize the act of blasphemy as a poisoned arrow continually wounding His Divine Heart.
Within the pages of this well-sourced book, we meet lesser-known names like Venerable Leo Dupont of Tours, whose miracles through his veneration of the Holy Face prompted Pope Leo XIII to establish a similar oratory in Rome and spread the devotion across Europe. We also encounter the Little Flower, whose full religious name is St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, and we see how the spiritualities of these two holy women complemented each other. After taking us through the intertwining journeys of spirituality and history, Zuzolo leaves her readers with a simple guide on how to pray the Holy Face Chaplet so that we can join with the saints in tending to His wounds: “I seek Veronicas to wipe and venerate my Divine Face, which has but few adorers.”
“I seek Veronicas to wipe and venerate my Divine Face, which has but few adorers.”
Another person who continuously pulls our gaze towards the Holy Face of Jesus is Dr. Mark Zia, a professor of theology at Benedictine College. If you have wandered around Main Street in Atchison, you may have stepped into the cozy bookstore Pace e Bene, where not only can you enjoy an excellent variety of Catholic books and art pieces, but also some delicious gelato (try the pistachio) and baked goods (I recommend the almond cookies). The Zia family provides this beautiful bridge between the spiritual and the physical to the residents of Atchison. They also bring the Holy Face of Jesus to the forefront of our minds with regular (soon to be permanent) exhibitions about the Shroud of Turin.
As Zia recently told National Catholic Register:
Holy Face of Jesus from Shroud of Turin. 1909.
“Our world tends to be too focused on ‘digital this’ and ‘virtual that,’ so we seek to preserve the meaning of true encounters with others, focusing on them and their stories, and not on mere business transactions.”
He is true to his word. The bookstore will soon dedicate a continuous exhibit to the Shroud, where visitors can view a full-size, professionally rendered, licensed replica.
The Shroud is one of the world’s most scientifically studied objects. This mysterious linen wrapping, according to tradition, held the body of Our Lord after His crucifixion. Despite all the studies and tests conducted, how the image of the body was impressed upon the cloth remains inexplicable. Science has proven that the image was not man-made. What has been found on the cloth is blood and sweat—along with the Holy Face of Jesus—because the image on the cloth is a negative. Needless to say, there is both much and little to say about the Shroud. What remains central is that the Shroud captures the imagination and stirs the consciences of many because it reveals the face of the Man who suffered great injustice and then rose victorious.
In a world obsessed with appearances and fleeting beauty, the Holy Face Devotion serves as a powerful reminder of where true beauty lies—in sacrifice, love, and the divine presence of Christ. Through the loving work of those like Mary Jane Zuzolo and Dr. Mark Zia, this devotion continues to draw hearts away from superficial distractions and toward the face of our suffering yet victorious Savior. In turning our gaze to the Holy Face, we rediscover the beauty that transcends time join St. Therese in her canticle: “Jesus, Your ineffable image is the star which guides my steps. Ah, You know, Your sweet Face is for me Heaven on earth. My love discovers the charms of Your Face adorned with tears. I smile through my own tears when I contemplate Your sorrows.”