Shroud of Turin and Things to Know

The Shroud of Turin is one of the most highly worshiped and controversial religious icons in Italy. The earliest records of the shroud's existence date to the mid-1300s, though it may have been stolen from Constantinople (modern Istanbul) during the Crusades of the 1200s with the earliest recorded date being 1354, when it is recorded in the hands of a famed knight, Geoffroi de Charnay, seigneur de Lirey. In 1389, when it went on exhibition, it was denounced as false by the local bishop of Troyes, who declared it “cunningly painted, the truth being attested by the artist who painted it.” In 1418, when the Hundred Years’ War threatened to spill over into Lirey, Geoffroi de Charny’s granddaughter Margaret de Charny and her husband offered to store the cloth in their castle, however, she later refused to return it, and instead took it on tour, advertising it as Jesus’ real burial shroud until 1453 when she sold the shroud in exchange for two castles to the royal house of Savoy and was excommunicated as punishment for selling the shroud. In 1532, a fire broke out in the Sainte-Chapelle and almost burned the shroud completely as you can still see the burn marks and the water stains from where the fire was extinguished.

Despite the fact that Pope Clement VII declared the shroud a fake over 600 years ago, there has been no end to the debate about the shroud’s authenticity. In fact, the Shroud of Turin is considered to be one of the world's most studied religious artifacts. In the 1970s, the Shroud of Turin Research Project said the markings on the cloth were consistent with a crucified body and that the stains were real human blood, however, In 2018, researchers used forensic techniques to argue the blood stains on the shroud couldn’t have come from Christ. The Shroud of Turin is currently located at the Turin Cathedral in Turin but it is rarely shown to the public, and is guarded by security cameras and bulletproof glass. However, In April 2020, Turin Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia announced that in light of the devastation from COVID-19, people around the world would be able to view the Shroud of Turin online for Easter! Who would have thought that a piece of cloth would be one of the most worshiped and controversial artifacts.

The authenticity of the Shroud continues to be a matter of debate and fascination for many, and it remains a significant religious and historical artifact in the Catholic Church and beyond.