SHROUD OF TURIN PICTURE TOUR WITH DR JOHN DESALVO
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SHROUD EXPOSITIONS

Since Secondo Pia took the first photographs of the shroud during the 1898 public exposition, the shroud has only been on display to the public about a half dozen times and also for some special occasions.

 

SLIDE 25 - Secondo Pia with his camera apparatus

 

In 1931, Enrie took his series of high quality black and white photographs. The shroud was again on exhibit two years later in 1933.

 

SLIDE 26 - The shroud outside the cathedral during the 1933 Exposition

Then it was not until 1969 that it was exhibited in private and the first color photographs were taken. In 1978, the public exposition was followed by STURP testing.

The shroud was again on display to the public in 1998, 2000, and most recently, April 10 to May 23, 2010.

 

SLIDE 27 - 1998 Exposition

 

SLIDE 28 - 2000 Exposition

 

 

SLIDE 29 - Archbishop of Turin Severino Poletto at the Exposition Of The Holy Shroud on April 10, 2010

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THE 2002 SECRET RESTORATION 

From June 20 to July 22, 2002, a major restoration of the shroud was undertaken by a group of textile experts, headed by Mechtild Fleury-Lemberg of Switzerland under the approval of the Vatican and the Archbishop of Turin. All of the patches (30 of them) sewn into the cloth in 1534 by the Poor Clare nuns to repair the damage caused by the 1532 fire were removed. Some of the charred areas surrounding the burn holes were also removed and the original backing cloth that was added at the same time as the patches was removed and replaced with a new lighter cloth.  This restoration was done in secret and there has been much criticism and controversy surrounding this restoration.

 

SLIDE 30 - Before the 2002 Restoration 

©1978 Barrie M. Schwortz Collection, STERA, Inc. 

 

SLIDE 31 - After the 2002 Restoration

 

THE SECOND FACE ON THE SHROUD

In April of 2004, two Italian scientists from the University of Padua claimed to have found a second face image on the BACK of the Shroud.  Just like the front image, it is a superficial image but much fainter.  Both images are in alignment with each other.  The amazing observation is that there is no image or colorant between the two images. Not everyone agrees with these findings and more computer enhancement and chemical analysis of this image needs to be done. So caution must be used at this time until further verification.

 

      FRONT                    BACK
           

 

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WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? 

In my opinion and the opinion of many other scientists, the C14 dating must be done again but this time with samples that are definitely part of the main body of the Shroud and not near the side strip. I hope the Vatican will make the Shroud available again for testing by qualified scientists. The last major testing was done in 1978 and it is now over 30 years since that time. New technology and science will allow us to carry out more sophisticated and precise tests and may help us learn more about the composition of the image and the alleged blood. Except for the C14 testing, most of these tests are non-destructive so I believe they should be allowed. All we can do is hope and wait for the Vatican to make a decision to open the Shroud for scientific testing to a new team of international scholars and researchers.

 

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Acknowledgments

I would like to dedicate this Shroud picture tour to my father, John A. DeSalvo Sr.  who was always interested in my research and promoted my work.

I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to my mentor, the late Father Peter Rinaldi. Without his encouragement, guidance, and friendship, I would not have dedicated over 30 years of my life to shroud research.  

Many thanks to my good friend Barrie Schwortz, photographer during the 1978 studies, for permission to use his photos. www.shroud.com

I would also like to thank archeologist and very close friend for over 30 years, Paul Maloney, who is Project Director for ASSIST. 

I would like to acknowledge Fred Zugibe, M.D., retired Chief Medical Examiner of Rockland Country in New York who is President of ASSIST.  Dr. Zugibe, Paul Maloney, and myself started ASSIST in 1983 at the request of Father Peter Rinaldi.

 

 

©1978 Barrie M. Schwortz Collection, STERA, Inc. 

 

©1978 Barrie M. Schwortz Collection, STERA, Inc. 

 

END OF SHROUD TOUR

Thank you for taking the shroud tour and may God Bless You!
John DeSalvo