A replica of the Turin Shroud is due to be exhibited at St Gregory the Great Church in Horfield, Bristol from 2nd to 12th September. The copy was previously exhibited in Blackburn Cathedral earlier this year.
According to legend, the Turin Shroud is the cloth used to wrap Jesus’ body when he was taken down from the cross. The Shroud is most famous for the image of a man’s face, said to be that of Jesus himself.
The authenticity of the Turin Shroud has been questioned for many years. Last year one Brazilian researcher described the Shroud as a “masterpiece of Christian art”, rather than a genuine holy relic.
While carbon dating suggests the Shroud was created in the Middle Ages, believers of the Shroud’s authenticity claim the precision and anatomical accuracy of the depiction as being beyond that of medieval artists. Others point to pollen samples that originate from the Middle East and blood samples consistent with those of a man who has been crucified.
Whatever the truth of the matter, a copy of the Shroud will be on display in Bristol this September along with an accompanying exhibition and talks organised by the British Society for the Turin Shroud (BSTS).
The BSTS describes itself as non-denominational and takes no official position on the authenticity or otherwise of the original Turin Shroud. Instead the group bills itself as a “forum” for people who share “an interest in the mystery of the Shroud”.
Jo Wilmott, one of the organisers of the exhibition, said, "We are truly honoured and excited to be holding the Turin Shroud Exhibition at St Gregory the Great, Horfield.
"We are an ordinary church in an ordinary but impoverished parish, and we welcome people from our parish, from across Bristol and further afield, to come and visit and learn about one of the most famous religious relics of our time.”
Admission to see the replica of the Turin Shroud will be free.
