Shroud of Turin back on display in Italy
The 14-foot linen cloth believed to be the burial shroud that covered Jesus Christ after his crucifixion is again available for viewing in Turin, Italy, where its archbishop custodian is preparing for millions to come view it.
Although the shroud previously was on display just five years ago, growing numbers of return bookings have flowed in for the exhibition that began Sunday and runs through June 24, says Turin Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia.
"That means there is a fundamental need in people's hearts to renew this incredible experience that they had the first time they saw it," Nosiglia told reporters over the weekend, according to the Associated Press.
Pope Francis will arrive to view it June 21.
The viewing is free, but reservations are required. More than 1 million already have said they will attend. There were 2.5 million who came in 2010 to see on the cloth what appears to be the faint visage of man newly crucified. There are what appear to be blood stains from wounds that believers say were caused by a crown of thorns placed on Christ's head.
Nosiglia said "the shroud will have a strong appeal" with people of all faiths. "Even non-believers will come," he said.
The cloth has a herringbone pattern of weaving common in the days of Christ. A precise timeline for its existence remains a mystery, according to an official website created for the unveiling. The first verified historical record surfaced in the 14th century.
Recent pontiffs have embraced it as a vital link to the past, if not with scientific certainty a cloth that shows the image of Christ.
Pope Benedict XVI, who preceded Francis, described the Shroud of Turin as an icon "written with the blood" of a crucified man. Pope John Paul II, who saw it in 1998, said its mystery forces questions about faith and sciences and whether it really was Jesus' burial linen. He urged continuous study, according to the AP.