Holy Face of Manoppello: September 2024

Text and photos (except as noted) by Antonio Bini

In the basilica of Manoppello, the blessing of a precious reliquary destined for the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco

A precious reliquary bearing the image of the Holy Face, visible from both sides, and which will soon be enthroned in the Cathedral in San Francisco, was the focus of a solemn ritual held on September 13, 2024 at the Basilica of the Holy Face in Manoppello.

The celebration was presided over by Fr. Antonio Gentili, rector of the Shrine, together with Fr. Carmine Cucinelli, Deacon Christoph Sandoval of the Cathedral of San Francisco, Fr. Bonifacio (Ted) Lopez (Diocese of Rome), Fr. Arturo Alcantara Arcos, several other priests and Fr. Anatoliy Grytskiv, a representative of the Orthodox Church of Abruzzo-Molise. During the celebration there was the blessing of the new reliquary which was made by the historic Palermo workshop directed by the master goldsmith Antonino Amato, represented by his daughter Angela with her husband Alessandro Staiano, both goldsmiths. The silver monstrance, with precious stones and the frame around the image encased in 24-carat gold, was inspired by the original reliquary of Manoppello, with respect to which it bears religious symbolic references typical of the California metropolis, in particular with the presence of the coat of arms of the archdiocese, the medallions of St. Patrick and St. Joseph, as well as the figure of St. Francis, patron saint of the California city.

At the beginning of the celebration, Fr. Antonio Gentili, in front of the many present, in a highly symbolic act, placed the reliquary in contact with the Holy Face, as if to establish its continuity. During the homily, preceded by the reading of the Gospel of John (chapter 20), which recalls the burial cloths and the sudarium present in the tomb of Christ, Fr. Antonio greeted the delegation from San Francisco, emphasizing the connection of their city to the poor man of Assisi and to Manoppello, recalling that the Shrine of the Holy Face is Franciscan. He also pointed out that the reliquary destined for the American metropolis is not a simple object but is the message of the resurrection of Christ, the Veronica.

During the celebration, Deacon Christoph Sandoval thanked the rector of the Shrine, to whom he presented a commemorative medal of John Paul II's visit to the Cathedral of San Francisco on September 17, 1987. He also thanked Sister Blandina Paschalis, Sister Petra-Maria Steiner, Mrs. Augustine Pham, and the Knights of Saint Francis.

Deacon Christoph Sandoval

A special thanks, also coming from Fr. Antonio, was addressed to Angelo Rytz, from Switzerland, who performed an excellent role as the organizational liaison between San Francisco, Manoppello and the Sicilian goldsmith's workshop. A generous commitment manifested in memory of his wife Agatha, originally from Hong Kong and very devoted to the Holy Face.

Deacon Sandoval with Angelo Rytz

A large number of people attended the ceremony, including many pilgrims from abroad, who participated with emotion and amazement in the event, which was interspersed by several bursts of applause.

During the lunch that followed at the Casa del Pellegrino adjoining the shrine, Fr. Carmine was asked to share his memories of the American mission of 2014, where he was able to speak for the first time about the Holy Face in the church of St. Ignatius in San Francisco. Fr. Carmine pointed out that in that year a program had been planned, proposed by the unforgettable Daisy Neves, a great supporter of the Holy Face, for two stops in the United States, in Las Vegas and Bellevue, Washington together with a wider itinerary in the Philippines.

At that time, recalled Fr. Carmine, then rector of the Shrine, Mrs. Augustine Pham, an American of Vietnamese origin, arrived on pilgrimage in Manoppello, who having learned the news of an imminent trip to the USA, asked Fr. Carmine that San Francisco also be included in the program. Fr. Carmine facilitated the contacts with Daisy Neves and Raymond Frost of San Francisco, who had already been editing a blog dedicated to the Holy Face for years. So two conferences were organized, one in St. Ignatius Church in San Francisco and another in St. Francis of Assisi Church in nearby East Palo Alto (Silicon Valley).

In January 2019, the Archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Joseph Cordileone, arrived in Manoppello, to participate in the rite of Omnis Terra, together with Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller and the Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto Bruno Forte. Fr. Carmine recalled how Archbishop Cordileone, a guest of the Capuchins, was very impressed by the encounter with the Holy Face, asking to pray and meditate in solitude before the sacred image, once the church was closed.

Dr. Michael Tran (at the left partially hidden), Augustine Pham, Sr. Petra-Maria Steiner,
Deacon Sandoval, Sr. Blandina Paschalis

The archbishop said on that occasion: "I encourage all those who profess faith in Jesus Christ and love for Him to cultivate devotion to this holy Image that He has left us as a gift, the image of the first moment of the Resurrection."

Fr. Carmine Cucinelli

Fr. Carmine concluded by stating, "this reliquary is now here. May it attract the attention of many people and arouse more faith, more devotion, greater desire for union with Jesus. May the Lord grant blessings and graces in abundance to you and your families."

I recall that in the Archdiocese of San Francisco a copy of the Holy Face was enthroned in the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in East Palo Alto on November 11, 2017.

Fr. Bonifacio (Ted) Lopez, who accompanied Fr. Carmine in the second international mission of the Holy Face, also recalled, with his customary congeniality, a number of enthronements which were carried out in the following years in Canada and the Philippines, including one where he participated in the enthronement of the Holy Face in the church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Bacoor City, in the presence of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

On August 5 of last year, a conference was held in South San Francisco, in the Church of Mater Dolorosa, with the participation of Sister Petra-Maria Steiner, a scholar of the Holy Face, Deacon Christoph Sandoval himself and Raymond Frost. The conference was attended by several hundred people, from all over the San Francisco Bay Area, which has over seven million inhabitants. On that occasion, the archbishop expressed the hope that a copy of the Holy Face would also be in San Francisco to be venerated and carried in procession. Hence the mobilization of the devotees, starting with Mrs. Augustine Pham. She is keen to point out, in the presence of Deacon Sandoval, that the donation was anonymous, as confirmed by a plaque placed at the base of the reliquary.

Today this desire has come true. The reliquary will be donated to the archbishop on October 4, coinciding with the feast of St. Francis.

Deacon Sandoval, a pilgrim to Manoppello in 2006, appeared enthusiastic, also stating that he intends to encourage the establishment of an Association that promotes knowledge and devotion to the Holy Face in California, also inviting the writer to participate in a conference to be held in San Francisco. A very cordial meeting in which he declared that he has come to know my articles posted on the blog holyfaceofmanoppello.blogspot.com

The event was attended by a representation of the Knights of St. Francis of San Francisco, a volunteer organization that assists the poor and homeless in the Californian metropolis, also known for having created the so-called Porziuncola Nuova, which reproduces the original of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi. A remarkable work, created thanks to artists and artisans from Umbria, from which also comes most of the materials. Present among the Knights was their founder Angela Alioto, a descendant of Sicilian emigrants and daughter of the former mayor of San Francisco Joseph Alioto and being herself a former President of the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco . Alioto spoke of the ceremony as incredible. She told me that she had heard about the Holy Face for some time, but that it was only a year ago that her knowledge deepened. A clear reflection of last year's conference, promoted by Deacon Sandoval, chaplain of the Knights of St. Francis.

Some of the Knights of St. Francis including Angela Alioto (center)

Present at the event were some members of the United States Navy stationed at Naples, including the organist and two singers, together with Don Arturo Alcantara Arcos, a Mexican priest, who collaborates with the chaplain of the naval base. Fr. Arturo is also the author of an essay entitled "Saint Junipero Serra, apostle of Mexico," an opportunity to remember how San Francisco also takes its name from a Spanish Franciscan mission, founded in 1776, under the supervision of Fr. Junipero Serra, when California still belonged to Mexico, and Christianity was spreading in those territories. Fr. Junipero Serra, proclaimed a saint in 2015, promoted the establishment of numerous missions in California, including that of San Juan Capistrano, inspired by the saint from Abruzzo.

Fr. Anatoliy Grytskiv, Fr. Arturo Alcantara Arcos and Fr. Carmine

(photo by Francesca Esposito)

The growing phenomenon of the enthronement of the Holy Face, which found its moment of origin in the church of Purgatory in Ruvo di Puglia (Ba), when in 1979 the devotees of the Apulian city wished to remember Fr. Domenico da Cese, a few months after his death. Enthronements of the Holy Face are now widespread in various cities around the world, presented in different ways, from the simplest reproductions on fabric, glass or pexiglass, which are now technically possible, based on the great progress of digital photography, to the most artistic and precious. Moreover, these initiatives are not always known to the Shrine.

Knights of St. Francis with Sr. Blandina, Fr. Carmine, Fr. Antonio Gentili, Angelo, Francesca Esposito, and Giuseppe (historic associate of the shrine)

It can certainly be argued that the long and not always easy path followed for the reliquary destined for the cathedral of San Francisco is exemplary, and that it has been manifestly solemn, in the spiritual participation shared between the religious community of San Francisco and the Shrine of the Holy Face, even in the creation of the reliquary itself, respectful of the centuries-old Italian goldsmith tradition. An enthronement that will not fail to bring with it positive effects as the Holy Year of 2025 approaches.