Mark's Notebook

One reporter's futile attempt to see the Shroud of Turin

Canada.com

by Howard Fendrich, Canadian Press

TURIN, Italy (AP) - A bit of advice for English-speaking visitors to this city who want to find the Shroud of Turin: Don't try asking locals, "Where can I find the Shroud of Turin?"

The reason, of course, that Italians aren't familiar with the word "shroud" is that it's, well, English. Italians call it "La Santa Sindone."

And then, I hit upon the secret formula, using these words in English: "Jesus" and "religious." Perhaps because those are pronounced quite similarly in Italian - "Gesu" and "religioso" - she understood.

"Aaah, La Santa Sindone," a newspaper vendor said, nodding excitedly, and pulled out a map to show me the way.

Here's some more advice: Don't expect to actually see the Sindone. About 4 1/2 metres long and one metre wide, the linen has an image that believers say was left by Jesus' body when he was wrapped in it after being taken down from the cross.

When you enter the cathedral, to the left of the pews, there's a photographic replica of the Shroud, about two-thirds the size of the original. There are pamphlets in several languages, and helpful guides who aim their red laser pens at the copy as they describe it.

The Shroud itself? It's in its own chapel in the back left corner of the cathedral, enclosed in a box behind bulletproof glass. It was last brought out for public viewing in 2000, and is not scheduled to go on display again until 2025.

There was speculation the Shroud might be open to viewing during the Olympics. But Turin Cardinal Severino Poletto, the Shroud's custodian, announced in December it would remain closed.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/oddities/story.html?id=31ed185b-58b6-4ad6-aa44
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Last updated Monday 3 August 2009