Shroud of Turin in Italy, Turin resort
Rating: 8,5/10 (2549 votes)  The Turin Shroud is a Christian relic, a four-meter linen canvas, in which, according to legend, the body of Jesus was wrapped after his death. Currently, the shroud can be observed in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Most believers are convinced that the original imprints of the Body and Face of Christ have been preserved on the shroud. In the 11th century, altar covers with the image of Jesus spread throughout Byzantium. Such covers were kept in most churches of Constantinople, as evidenced by the sources of the XIII century. For the first time the Shroud of Turin was recorded in 1353 in France – Geoffroy de Charny said that he had the relic. The shroud was put on public display in the possessions of Sharni in the city of Lyra. In 1452, the shroud was bought by Louis the First of Savoy, who kept it in Chambery. In 1532, the shroud was badly damaged in a fire. In 1578 it was transported to Turin, where it is still kept. In 1898, an amateur photographer took several shots of the shroud. While processing the negatives, he noticed a human face depicted on the canvas. This discovery led to a number of questions about the authenticity of the shroud and the personality of the person depicted on it. Serious research was carried out only at the end of the 20th century. Currently, only a copy of the shroud is on display in the chapel, while the original is in a guarded building, and is very rarely put on public display. During the 2006 Turin Olympiad, the Cathedral of John the Baptist hosted an exhibition on the history of the Shroud. Many historical, theological and scientific issues intertwined in the focus of the relic. Only in the second half of the 20th century, the Vatican gave permission to conduct scientific research on the shroud using modern equipment. In the late 80s of the 20th century, radiocarbon analysis was carried out. The sample was divided into three parts and sent to Oxford University, Arizona University and Zurich Federal Polytechnic Institute. Analysis showed that the age of the shroud is approximately 691 years, i.e., it was made between 1275 and 1381. Since the shroud was subjected to various influences, for example, boiling in oil, experts are inclined to argue that the methods of preparing the shroud, as well as radiocarbon analysis, are not able to completely remove dried linseed oil from the fabric. In 1532, oil injected into the fabric could move the creation of the canvas by 1300 years.   
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