Berenice, Berenike, Bernice, Veroine, Verone, Veronique, Verrine
Born: 1st century AD
The name “Veronica” does not appear in the canonical Gospels of the Bible. However, according to a longstanding Christian tradition, when Jesus carrying his cross to Calvary, a woman named Veronica stepped forward and wiped the sweat and blood from his face with her veil or cloth. As a result, the image of Jesus’ face was miraculously imprinted on the cloth, which became known as the Veil of Veronica.
According to legend, Vespasian, who ruled as Roman Emperor from 69 to 79 AD, sought a cure for his leprosy but was unsuccessful in finding one. It is said that a woman named Seraphia, who possessed the Veil of Veronica, brought it to Vespasian, and when he touched the veil to his face, he was miraculously healed. This event led to his conversion to Christianity and his subsequent support for the Christian faith.
Note
The name “Veronica” is derived from the latin words vera, meaning “true,” and icon, meaning “image” or “likeness.”
Sources
Joseph d’Arimathie | Robert de Boron, 1191–1202
Vulgate Estoire del Saint Graal | 1220-1235