St. Veronica is not mentioned in the Bible but is known to us by Catholic tradition and in the Sixth Station of the Cross, "Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus." The name Veronica means ​​one who brings victory or a true image. The true name and identity of Veronica are unknown as there are no legends from the period which speak of her either before or after her act of compassion. I named this painting The Sixth Station, not St. Veronica because it is the act of compassion itself, not the person, which is the focal point of the painting. The Latin root for the word compassion is pati, which means to suffer, and the prefix com- means with. Veronica chose to suffer with Jesus during his passion. In the painting, Veronica is dripping with the red blood of Jesus. The positioning of Jesus carrying the cross was designed so that its weight appears to rest on her shoulder. 

I painted the sky with rich pinks, golds, purples, and reds to mirror the colors of the setting sun and the passion of Jesus Christ. I painted Veronica in darker tones and versions of the sky colors because the light source of her halo and the halo of Jesus carrying the cross is behind her. The darker colors shroud her in shadows to symbolize the obscurity of her true identity. 

Feast day of St. Veronica: July 12