- Orthodox Remembrance Day: July 12
- Name means: the victorious (Greek), the true image (Latin- Greek)
- Disciple of Jesus
- Patroness: the photographer, parish housekeepers, laundresses, white seamstresses, linen weavers and traders; in case of serious injuries; against blood flow; for a good death
- Born in Israel
- Died 70 in Soulac, France
Veronica, often associated with the woman afflicted with a bleeding condition in the healing account found in the Gospel of Matthew 9:20, conveyed a remarkable tale to the messenger of Emperor Tiberius, as per the legend propagated in the Western church. In her account, Veronica expressed her desire to possess a permanent image of Jesus Christ, whom she was unable to physically accompany from place to place. To fulfill her wish, she approached Him and entrusted a cloth into His hands, beseeching Him to imprint His divine countenance upon it. Miraculously, the cloth was returned to her, bearing the distinct impression of His face.
Subsequently, Veronica accompanied the messenger to Rome, where the cloth demonstrated its miraculous healing power. Emperor Tiberius, who suffered from a vexing ailment akin to a wasp’s nest within his head, experienced complete restoration of health through the intervention of the cloth.
Around the year 1300, expanded versions of the legend emerged, associating Veronica with the journey of Christ along the Via Dolorosa, or the Way of the Cross. According to these accounts, Veronica was one of the many women mentioned in the Gospel of Luke (23:27) who encountered Jesus during His arduous path. Moved by compassion, when the Savior stumbled, she tenderly presented Him with her cloth, upon which His anguished face, crowned with thorns, left an indelible impression.