Although some gaps appear in its historical whereabouts, the Shroud has maintained a consistent presence.Īfter Robert de Clari’s testimony, the next historical citing places the Shroud in France, having passed to the possession of the De Charny family of Lirey. In August, 1203, Robert de Clari, a French crusader, reported seeing the Shroud in Constantinople. King Louis VII of France venerated the shroud in Constantinople in 1147. Documentation shows that the Shroud indeed was displayed in the cities of Jerusalem, Edessa (500) and Constantinople (1092). Of course, the Shroud is believed to be the burial cloth used by Joseph of Arimathaea to wrap the body of Jesus for burial. Part of the uncertainty as to the authenticity of the Shroud arises from its historical record. In 1983, the Savoy family willed the Shroud to the Holy Father with the Archbishop of Turin serving as the Pontifical Guardian for the Conservation and Veneration of the Holy Shroud. Nevertheless, the Church has been the official guardian of the Shroud for the House of Savoy, the former ruling family of Italy. Salvation is that which is given to us by Christ” ( Columbia, June 1998). Salvation is not in the Shroud, even if it truly wrapped the martyred body of Jesus, even if it was mysteriously given by God to His Church. As Cardinal Saldarini of Turin stated, “It’s not Christ, but something that brings us back to him. However, to believe that the Shroud is the actual burial cloth of the Lord is not a matter of faith. Pope Pius XII stated, “A precious treasure, the Holy Shroud, which displays, both to move and comfort us, the image of the lifeless body and tortured face of Christ.” And Pope Blessed John XXIII declared, “ Digitus Dei est hic” (“The finger of God is here”). His predecessors have also viewed the Shroud favorably. The Holy Father has visited the Shroud both in 1978 and most recently in June, 1998. For instance, in 1980, the Holy Father stated, “The Holy Shroud, the most splendid relic of the passion and the resurrection.” Almost ten years later, in April, 1989, he was asked by reporters during an in-flight press conference on the way to Madagascar about the Shroud, and he responded, “It certainly is a relic!” Again, almost ten years later, when asked if the Shroud was genuine, the Pope said, “I think it is!” (as reported in Columbia, 1998). Without declaring its authenticity, Pope John Paul II has clearly attested to the value of the Shroud. Many of the faithful sincerely believe that the Shroud of Turin is the actual burial cloth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |