The Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) disputes a new study questioning the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin. The new study suggests the burial cloth's image was created by a form of radiation. STURP maintains the image was formed by a natural process. The center has previously conducted extensive research on the shroud.
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A new study by Brazilian 3D artist Cicero Moraes, published in the scholarly journal Archaeometry, claims that the image on the Shroud of Turin was likely created by a "low-relief model" such as a statue, rather than a human body 1 4 5 6. This suggests the shroud is a medieval work of art, not the authentic burial cloth of Jesus Christ 1 4 5 6. The study has garnered significant media attention 5 6.
The International Center of Sindonology, the Turin-based organization dedicated to studying and promoting the shroud, disputes Moraes' findings 1 4 5 6. The Center stated that the conclusion regarding the image as an "orthogonal projection" is not new, having been known since 1902 1 4. They also highlighted that investigations by the Shroud of Turin Research Project in the 1970s had already ruled out image formation by painting, rubbing with bas-relief, or contact with a heated statue 1 4.
Furthermore, the Center criticized Moraes' digital modeling software, stating it is "not specifically designed for scientific purposes" and lacks correspondence to a real physical context 1 4. Turin archbishop Cardinal Roberto Repole, the pontifical custodian of the shroud, dismissed the new study, stating his office has "no reason to comment on hypotheses freely formulated by scientists of varying degrees of credibility" 1 4. He expressed concern about the "superficiality of certain conclusions" that often do not withstand closer examination 1 4. Cheryl White, a history professor, also criticized Moraes' study for its historical reductionism and failure to account for the image's complexity, specifically the "direct distance-to-body spatial mapping" embedded in the linen 5 6.
Despite the recent challenge, extensive secular studies have suggested the shroud's authenticity as a first-century object that came into contact with an executed man 5 6. A 2024 study by Italian researcher Giulio Fanti analyzed bloodstains on the shroud, finding them consistent with the torture and crucifixion of Jesus Christ as described in the Gospels 5 6. This study noted blood flowing in three directions, suggesting the corpse was moved, and identified three distinct blood types, including "premortem bloodstains" from the crucifixion and "leaks of blood serum" 5 6. Nanoparticles in the blood samples also showed creatinine, indicating "very heavy torture" 5 6.
While radiocarbon dating in 1988 suggested a medieval origin (after the 12th century), other studies point to much older dates 5 6. A 2022 X-ray study at the Italian Institute of Crystallography suggested the cloth is approximately 2,000 years old, with researcher Liberato De Caro explaining that radiocarbon dating can be unreliable if samples are not thoroughly cleaned of interstitial material 5 6. Evidence from pollen grains also indicates the cloth originated in the Middle East, not Europe 5 6. The intricate detail of the shroud's depiction, including precise blood flows and wounds, is considered by some to be beyond the capabilities of medieval artists 5 6.
The Vatican has not officially pronounced on the shroud's authenticity but popes have presented it as an object of veneration 5 6. Pope Francis in 2015 described the cloth as attracting believers "toward the martyred face and body of Jesus" 5 6. Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 noted its depiction of Christ points to the time His body rested in the tomb, a period "infinite in its value and significance" 5 6. St. John Paul II emphasized that the shroud encourages humanity to "free himself from the superficiality of the selfishness" and "believe in God’s love" 5 6. The shroud continues to be a significant object of devotion and focus for Christians worldwide 5 6.
What is the Church's teaching on sacred relics?
The Catholic Church holds a long-standing tradition of venerating sacred relics, viewing them with particular respect and attention . This veneration is rooted in the belief that the bodies of saints, destined for resurrection, were living temples of the Holy Spirit and instruments of their holiness on earth .
The term "relics of the Saints" primarily refers to the bodies, or significant parts of the bodies, of saints who lived heroically holy lives and now dwell in Heaven . These bodies are honored because they were sanctified on earth and are destined to be glorified in heaven, likened to the body of Christ in the glory of the Resurrection , .
Beyond bodily remains, the Church also considers other items as relics:
In Ukrainian Catholic tradition, the word for relics, "moshchi," signifies "strength" or "power," expressing the wondrous power of God's life in the frailty of human death . This tradition highlights that the grace of God transforms not only the soul but also the body of a righteous person, making their body glorified even after death .
The veneration of relics is not an adoration of the creature but an honor given to the saints in order to better adore God, whose martyrs and friends they are , . As St. Jerome stated, "We do not worship, we do not adore... but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore Him whose martyrs they are" . This veneration is considered "relative and reverential" rather than latria (adoration due to God alone) .
The Church teaches that God fittingly honors such relics by working miracles in their presence . Scriptural examples, such as the dead man being brought back to life through the relics of the prophet Elisha (2 Kgs 13:21), and healings occurring through Peter's shadow (Acts 5:15) or Paul's handkerchiefs (Acts 19:12), illustrate the belief that God's power can be transmitted through the bodies and even objects associated with holy individuals , .
Saints' bodies are seen as "members of Christ and the temple of the Holy Spirit," and their veneration is believed to bestow many benefits from God upon people .
The Church permits the veneration of relics in a manner similar to that given to images, not for their own sake, but for the sake of the persons they represent . This practice has been upheld since early centuries, with Christians celebrating the Eucharist on martyrs' graves, considering these places and the buried relics holy .
Specific guidelines and practices for the veneration of relics include:
The mortal remains of Servants of God and Venerables (those whose causes for beatification and canonization are in progress) may not receive public cult or privileges reserved for beatified or canonized individuals until they are elevated to the honors of the altars .
The Church's teaching on sacred relics emphasizes their veneration as a means of honoring God through His saints, recognizing the sanctity of their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, and acknowledging God's power manifested through them. This practice is carefully regulated to ensure authenticity, respect, and to prevent superstition or illicit practices.