The Shroud of Turin went on display this weekend for the first time in 10 years. The linen cloth is normally kept wrapped up inside a silver box, and only taken out for public display on special occasions.
While many believe this is the linen cloth that covered Jesus Christ after his death – and you can see a faint outline of a man’s face and arms on it – testing done on the cloth two decades ago suggested it dated from between 1260 and 1390.
However, those results have been contested, and other experts say contamination of the shroud over the years could have skewed the dating process.
In any case, the Shroud of Turin is always a major mystery, and the Turin Cathedral still draws millions of visitors every year, even when the linen is wrapped up and hidden away.
About two million people are expected to visit over the next six weeks while the original can be seen in the cathedral.
Is it the real thing, or a brilliant forgery? The Archbishop of Turin, Cardinal Severino Poletto, opts for real. “As a Christian I believe the Shroud is authentic,” Poletto said. “I can’t say officially, because it’s not my job, but either it’s a miracle, or it’s the real thing.”