The Shroud of Turin

Shroud of Turin Museum, Turin, Italy, December, 2016

Turin (Torino) is best known for its famous Shroud of Turin. To Christians, the shroud is thought to be Jesus' burial shroud.  The relic is kept at the Chapel of the Holy Shroud in the Turin Cathedral.  But, you can't just walk into the cathedral and see it.  The shroud is only displayed once every twenty=five years and on other special occasions. The shroud was last displayed in 2015, officially to honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. John Bosco, but skeptics say it was put on display to give a boost to the slumping local economy.  Either way, the shroud isn't due to be on display again until 2025, but I'd bet on an earlier reveal as it's been getting out every five years or so.

Less than a kilometer from the shroud's official storage location is the Museum of the Shroud.  I'd suggest starting your tour by watching an excellent video about the history of the cloth.  I expected to be pummeled with propaganda about the shroud's authenticity, but it was, in fact, the opposite.  The video didn't refer to Jesus, but instead as, "The man in the shroud."  But, they also take care to point out the flaws in some of the scientific findings that have found the shroud's origin to be dubious.

In fact, the museum is where a lot of scientific research takes place about the shroud.  Because they have not been able to either determine the authenticity of the shroud or how an image of a man ended up on the cloth, study of the shroud continues.

The actual museum is in the basement of the building.  Dark and musky in a huge single room, the place isn't inviting, but is still fascinating.  It is filled with relics, both real and fake.  Since the shroud is seldom on display, artifacts like a single thread of the shroud, a pin used to hold up the shroud, and a case in which the shroud was once stored are treated with, some would say overblown, reverence.  

So, for skeptics and believers alike, it's quite interesting to take a couple hours and visit.

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