While reading the novel of Dan Brown, Angels and Demons, I came across with lots of historical information, which later on, after Googling a bit, made me meet with this famous artifact The Turin Shroud, virtually.
Now, this shroud controversy can prove, for a person who is not concerned with any bits of Christianity, a pure fascination!
So it did to me.
As to give some basic introduction about The Shroud of Turin, I would say that it is a linen cloth, measuring 4.3 metres (14 feet 3 inches) long and 1.1 metres (3 feet 7 inches) wide which has been purported to be the burial garment of Jesus Christ.
But, there has been lots and lots of controversies over this. Some say, it is a burial garment of Jesus Christ. Some say, it has not been found more back than the middle ages. Some say, it’s all fake. But, some still believe it as a symbol of Jesus’s love. It is the Holy thing, to be known for some.
It has been preserved since 1578 in the royal chapel of the cathedral of San Giovanni Battista in Turin, Italy.
Upon the cloth, one could find blood stains. So, the question would arise in every head that whether the Blood stains real?
Blood is rare AB type+. Blood plasma around the blood stains is revealed under UV light. Stains match descriptions of the Passion of Jesus in the Gospels.
Blood particles reveal a high content of bilirubin. Significant for two reasons:
Consistent with bodily response to extreme trauma (so a dead body could not have been used to create the image).
Blood with high bilirubin content stays red over time and does not turn dark brown (consistent with stains on the Shroud).
There is purely an impression of a man upon the cloth. But, still the question would arise whether that man is Jesus? There are over 100 scourge marks on the man’s front and back. The right side of the man’s chest reveals evidence of a large chest wound, accompanied by a pool of blood. Shoulder Injuries show evidence of scraping against a heavy rough object.
The dorsal side of the shroud show scourging marks as well as abrasions along the back sides of the shoulder blades, as from carrying a heavy rough object.
Foot wounds are the result of piercing. Two large blood marks are apparent on the feet, and medical experts agree that these are the result of piercing to the feet.
What is so special or mysterious about the image on the Shroud?
It is because there is no other known image like it.
Shroud is a precise photographic negative (on non-photographically sensitive cloth).
Image can not be produced by paint, dye, vapors, or scorching.
Image is restricted to uppermost part of fibrils (cause is rapid dehydration).
The blood imprints precede the formation of the image.
3D imaging on Shroud (e.g. bones inside the hand and flesh surrounding the bone) has been done. It has been used to produce a 3D sculpture.
Few artifacts in the world have stirred the imagination, provoked controversy, raised hypotheses—and for some, fortified faith—as has the Shroud of Turin. But, what is the current explanation about this artifact? And what does Science say about this?
It says that the image is unique: no other image has its unique characteristics. The only known explanation for the formation of the image is an intense burst of vacuum ultraviolet radiation (equivalent to the output of 14,000 excimer lasers) emitted from every three-dimensional point of the body in the Shroud.
Whatever the thing is. It bears a faint, yellowed image of a naked, crucified man and is believed by millions of Christians to be the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth. It has been preserved since 4 centuries. And lots of men have spent 40 years of their lifetime to study this precious, amazing thing.
Does it fascinate you?
Let me know in the comments below.
Curioosyty 