About the Book

The Face of God: The Rediscovery of the True Face of Jesus

In The Face of God: The Rediscovery of the True Face of Jesus, Paul Badde reports in tantalizing detail on his exciting quest to discover the truth behind a rare cloth, housed in small church in the remote village of Manoppello, Italy. Better known as the Holy Face of Manoppello, this is a relic recently rediscovered and rumored to be "Veronica's Veil" — a cloth used to wipe the face of Jesus as he carried his cross on the way to Golgotha and His crucifixion.

Badde's research and reports on the Holy Face of Manoppello prompted a 2006 visit to the relic by Pope Benedict XVI — in spite of counsel against it by others in the Vatican. He compiles and expands on those dispatches in The Face of God.

Among others, readers will meet Sister Blandina Paschalis Schlömer, OSCO, whom many outside of Italy recognize as the first person to truly rediscover the Holy Face of Manoppello. Her meticulous research and investigations helped convince Badde and others that the Holy Face provides a "positive" image of the same face shown as a "negative" on the Shroud of Turin.

The image of a man's face on the cloth in Manoppello is clearly visible. Most astonishing — when the face of the Shroud of Turin is laid over the Holy Face of Manoppello, the two images form a perfect match. As Sr. Blandina proved with her work, they are the same face.

Readers will learn about a cloth made of unique and rare fabric — byssus — that is the "canvas" for the Holy Face. Yet, Badde explains that byssus, also is known as sea silk, is a rare and delicate fabric woven from a silky filament produced by mollusks that is so thin and delicate it is impossible to paint on.

In the book, Badde reports the conclusion by experts that the cloth of Manoppello is not Veronica's veil, but rather a burial cloth of Jewish tradition that was laid over the face of Jesus in the tomb. In fact, in the chapter he calls "Holy Blood," Badde makes the compelling case for the existence — with locations — of all the elements of the traditional Jewish burial wrap used in Jesus' time.

The book recounts Badde's thrilling journey of discovery as he travels to research this remarkable relic, tracing the turbulent history of the Holy Face from ancient times to the historic visit to Manoppello by Pope Benedict XVI.