Shroud of Turin exhibit coming to Marion this week
A religious icon that has sparked both fascination and controversy for hundreds of years will be the focus of an exhibit scheduled to be on display this week at St. Mary Catholic School in Marion.
The Shroud of Turin has long been venerated by the faithful and is believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth, according to a press release issued by St. Mary Catholic Church officials. The Shroud, which first appeared in the historical record in the 1350s, is one of the most scientifically studied religious icons in history.
The length of linen, measuring 14 feet, 5 inches long by 3 feet, 7 inches wide, bears the negative image of a man some believe may be that of Jesus Christ.
The Shroud was denounced as a fake in 1389 by the bishop of Troyes. Officially, the Roman Catholic Church neither endorses nor rejects the alleged relic. However, in 2013, Pope Francis referred to it as an "icon of a man scourged and crucified".
Since 1578, the Shroud has been kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Turin in northern Italy. As science has progressed, so has the speculation on how the image of the crucified man of the Shroud was made.
According to the press release, the exhibit coming to Marion presents the results of a comprehensive scientific, historical, and forensic study with numerous photographs and illustrations. The exhibit is the work of the Center for the Study of the Passion of Christ and the Holy Shroud and Monsignor Giulio Ricci and other scientists, who spent more than 25 years researching the Shroud.
The centerpiece of the exhibit is a full-length replica of the Shroud developed from a photographic image of the Shroud made by the Eastman Kodak Co. The replica shows the front and back of the shroud. In addition, the mobile exhibit contains a large crucified corpus showing the wounds of Christ corresponding to the passion narrative in the Gospel accounts and the wounds shown on the Shroud. The exhibit contains 66 panels detailing the history and science of the Shroud.
Officials from St. Mary invite the general public to visit the exhibit this week. The free exhibit will be open from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday; from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; from 10 a.m. to noon and 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday; and from 9 to 11 a.m. and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The exhibit will be on display in the gymnasium of St. Mary Catholic School, located at 251 N. Main St. in Marion.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Shroud of Turin exhibit coming to Marion this week
