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Pope Francis visits the Shroud of Turin in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, in 2015.
Pope Francis visits the Shroud of Turin in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, in 2015. CNS photo/Paul Haring

Jesus’ burial cloth no longer shrouded in mystery

By 
  • September 19, 2024

The Shroud of Turin—venerated as the burial cloth of Jesus for centuries—has been vindicated.  Back in 1988 was big news that the Shroud had been carbon dated and the result was supposedly that the Shroud dated back to only the 1200s and was deemed a medieval fake. The findings were even printed in L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s newspaper. To many, it seemed conclusive (though no good explanation was offered as to how the image got on the cloth). But for many us, the so-called “science” felt off, and we continued to believe in the veracity of the Shroud. 

The scientists working on the carbon dating project made errors. They didn’t take into account that the Shroud had been through a fire, which would skew the findings. They said they took tiny samples from various parts of the Shroud but actually took them all from the same small portion, which was a patch sewn on to repair some damage.

Today, with advanced technology, we know differently. In August, a story broke about the X-ray dating technique that was applied to the Shroud and found it was 2,000 years old. The research was completed in 2022 by an Italian scientist, Liberato De Caro, of the Institute of Crystallography of the National Research Council in Bari. The study began in 2019 and was delayed by the pandemic. 

The findings were published in the international journal “Heritage,” and peer reviewed by three independent experts plus the journal’s editor. Others in various fields, including historians, are now heralding the Shroud as “no longer able to be disputed.” It is certainly the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. The wounds match the Gospels exactly, as well as the methods of Roman crucifixion. Bits of pollen from the first century Holy Land have also been discovered on the material. 

Several scientists and others have dedicated their entire careers and lives to studying and promoting understanding of the Holy Shroud and devotion to it. EWTN’s Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ, did a recent documentary on the mysteries of the Shroud. Dr. Gilbert LaVoie, MD, author of “The Shroud of Jesus and the Sign John Ingeniously Concealed,” just gave a talk at one of our Pauline Book and Media Centres, and 100 people showed up. That’s pretty phenomenal for a book-signing. It shows how much people are drawn to the Passion, Death and Resurrection of their beloved Saviour. 

The devout understand what He underwent for us because of our sins. As full of horror as it is, it’s even more full of love. “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” Not only does the Shroud bear the markings of Jesus’ terrible suffering, but it witnesses to the Resurrection. How did the image of Christ’s entire body, front and back, in a kind of 3-D photograph happen? It is conjectured that it was a burst of incredibly intense radiation issuing from within every part of the Man of the Shroud’s body that we are unable to replicate, only observe.

The Shroud of Turin and all Christ’s relics matters. Why? Because the Bible is trustworthy. The story of salvation is the story of God and us.It’s verifiably and reliably historical. We shouldn’t simply over-spiritualize the Faith. Our Faith is concrete and tangible in many aspects. This is something John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” taught me. I was only mildly interested in Christian artifacts before embracing what the Incarnation really means through “TOB.”

Did you know the Crown of Thorns is in France? The Holy Grail is in Spain? Other pieces of Jesus’ burial cloths are in Europe (the Sudarium of Oviedo in Spain, and the Veil of Manoppello in Italy)? The inscription above Jesus’ head, the largest piece of the Cross, the Spear that pierced Jesus’ side are all in Rome along with the “Scala Santa,” the “Holy Stairs” that Jesus climbed to face Pilate. The Catholic Church is also the custodian of other related relics, but this is not as well known as it should be!

Since Jesus died for each one of us—and would have, even if there was only one of us--as we contemplate and venerate these treasures, we can say: “He did it all for me.”

Sr. Helena Raphael Burns, fsp, is a Daughter of St. Paul. She holds a Masters in Media Literacy Education and studied screenwriting at UCLA. HellBurns.com  Twitter: @srhelenaburns  #medianuns

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