Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Shroud of Turin
The shroud of Turin is said to be the piece of fabric in which the body of
Christ was wrapped when he was taken down from the cross—and to which
his image was miraculously affixed. The image on the fabric is of a man
5 feet 7 inches tall, with bloodstains consistent with a crown of thorns, a
cut in the rib cage, cuts in the wrists and ankles, and scourge marks on
the back from flagellation.
Recent carbon dating suggests that the shroud was manufactured
sometime around the 13th or 14th centuries. But the mystery remains, at
least in part because no one can explain how the haunting image appeared
on the cloth. Debunkers constantly attempt to create replicas using lemon
juice and the sun, mineral pigments, even aloe and myrrh (the last
because, according to funerary traditions at the time, Jesus' body would
likely have been treated with these oils before being wrapped in the
shroud). Every few years, a new crop of naysayers publishes the results of
their adventures in fakery, and a competing crop of faithful apologists
points out how the success of newly made facsimiles doesn't necessarily
negate the authenticity of the Turin shroud itself. Additional radio carbon
dating has suggested that, because the shroud has been exposed to fire
(thus affecting the carbon readings), it could indeed date from around the
time of Christ's death. In the end, faith and science are unlikely to reach
agreement (unless, of course, science suddenly decides the shroud is gen-
uine). Despite scientific skepticism, the shroud continues to entice hordes
of the faithful.
The shroud was last on display during Italy's Jubilee celebrations in
2000. Technically, it shouldn't be on display again until the next Jubilee,
in 2025, but it pops up every 5 to 15 years for special occasions. (Rumor
has it that the shroud may go on permanent exhibit, either in the cathe-
dral or in its own space.)
Until such a display exists, to see the shroud you'll have to content
yourself with three alternatives: a series of dramatically backlit photos
near the entrance to the Cappella della Santa Sindone, a replica on display
in the church, and a museum devoted to the relic, the Museo della Sindone
(Via San Domenico, 28; % 011-4365832; www.sindone.org; 5.50; daily
9am-noon and 3-7pm).
black marble. But, as if to suggest that better things await us in the heavens, it
ascends to an airy, light-flooded, six-tiered dome, one of the masterpieces of
Italian baroque architecture.
In front of the cathedral stand two landmarks of ancient Turin—the remains
of a Roman theater and the Roman-era city gate Porta Palatina, flanked by twin
16-sided towers.
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