Just north of the Piazza Castello and the Royal Palace sits the bland facade of the catehdral Far more interesting is the single chapel inside the cathedral’s pompous, 15th-century interior—the baroque Cappella della Santa Sindone, occasional home to the controversial Santissima Sindone (Shroud of Turin; see the box, below).
The shroud of Turin is said to be the piece of fabric in which the body of Christ was wrapped when he was taken down from the cross—and to which his image was miraculously affixed. The image on the fabric is of a man 5 feet 7 inches tall, with bloodstains consistent with a crown of thorns, a cut in the rib cage, cuts in the wrists and ankles, and scourge marks on the back from flagellation. Recent carbon dating suggests that the shroud was manufactured sometime around the 13th or 14th centuries. But the mystery remains, at least in part because no one can explain how the haunting image appeared on the cloth. Debunkers constantly attempt to create replicas using lemon juice and the sun, mineral pigments, even aloe and myrrh (the last because, according to funerary traditions at the time, Jesus' body would likely have been treated with these oils before being wrapped in the shroud).
Every few years, a new crop of naysayers publishes the results of their adventures in fakery, and a competing crop of faithful apologists points out how the success of newly made facsimiles doesn't necessarily negate the authenticity of the Turin shroud itself. Additional radio carbon dating has suggested that, because the shroud has been exposed to fire (thus affecting the carbon readings), it could indeed date from around the time of Christ’s death. In the end, faith and science are unlikely to reach agreement (unless, of course, science suddenly decides the shroud is genuine). Despite scientific skepticism, the shroud continues to entice hordes of the faithful. The shroud was last on display during Italy's Jubilee celebrations in 2000. Technically, it shouldn't be on display again until the next Jubilee, in 2025, but it pops up every 5 to 15 years for special occasions. (Rumor has it that the shroud may go on permanent exhibit, either in the cathedral or in its own space.) Until such a display exists, to see the shroud you'll have to content yourself with three alternatives: a series of dramatically backlit photos near the entrance to the Cappella della Santa Sindone; a replica on display in the church, and a museum devoted to the relic, the Museo della Sindone.
Even without the presence of one of Christendom's most precious relics—only rarely on view in a silver casket elevated on the altar in the center of the room—the chapel is still well worth a visit. Restored after a 1997 fire (one of many the shroud has miraculously survived, with occasional singeing, over the centuries), the chapel is somberly clad in black marble. But, as if to suggest that better things await us in the heavens, it ascends to an airy, light-flooded, six-tiered dome, one of the masterpieces of Italian baroque architecture. In front of the cathedral stand two landmarks of ancient Turin—the remains of a Roman theater and the Roman-era city gate Porta Palatina, flanked by twin 16-sided towers.
Piazza San Giovanni
tel. +39-011-5661540 or 011-4361540
www.sindone.org
www.duomoditorino.it
daily 8am–12:30pm and 3–7pm
€5.50
Bus: 4r, 11, 27, 51, 57, 92
Trolly: 4, 6, 7
Hop-on/hop-off: Capolinea (A, B, C)
Planning your day: TK.
Share this page
Search ReidsItaly.com
Piazza San Giovanni
tel. +39-011-5661540 or 011-4361540
www.sindone.org
www.duomoditorino.it
daily 8am–12:30pm and 3–7pm
€5.50
Bus: 4r, 11, 27, 51, 57, 92
Trolly: 4, 6, 7
Hop-on/hop-off: Capolinea (A, B, C)
This article was written by Reid Bramblett and was last updated in August 2015.
All information was accurate at the time.
about | contact | faq
» THE REIDSITALY.COM DIFFERENCE «
åß
Copyright © 2008–2017 by Reid Bramblett. Author: Reid Bramblett
