Pope Francis Links Turin Shroud To Jesus Christ As Relic Is Shown On Television For Easter

Francis has drawn an explicit link between Christ and the ghostly image imprinted on the Turin Shroud but stopped short of declaring the holy icon the true burial cloth of Jesus.

Nick Squires 30 Mar Francis made his first remarks on the mysterious relic since being elected Pope in a special video message as the shroud was shown live on television for only the second time in its history.

His remarks came on Holy Saturday, which falls between the commemoration of Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Francis referred to the 14ft-long strip of sepia cloth, which is imprinted with the face and body of a bearded man, as “the Holy Shroud” and asked: “How is it that the faithful, like you, pause before this icon of a man scourged and crucified? It is because the Man of the Shroud invites us to contemplate Jesus of Nazareth.

“This face has eyes that are closed, it is the face of one who is dead, and yet mysteriously he is watching us, and in silence he speaks to us.”

However his observations did not go beyond the non-committal approach taken by the Catholic Church on the question of the shroud’s authenticity. Observers noted that his use of the word “icon” fell short of the claim by some that the shroud is a “relic” of the crucifixion.

He likened the look of suffering on the face of the man to the pain and horrors endured by the victims of modern war and conflict.

“This disfigured face resembles all those faces of men and women marred by a life which does not respect their dignity, by war and violence which afflict the weakest.

I have not yet seen any well reasoned argument against the authenticity of the shroud. Maybe you will be the first?
So, you proclaim it's the burial cloth of Jesus by a preponderance of the evidence, then you want me to disprove it? Gheeeeeeze.
Not only is that nonsense, but your attitude is cannon fodder for the anti-religion, loonie left

So, you proclaim it's the burial cloth of Jesus by a preponderance of the evidence, then you want me to disprove it? Gheeeeeeze. Not only is that nonsense, but your attitude is cannon fodder for the anti-religion, loonie left

Not nonsense at all. You have indicated that you are a skeptic as to the authenticity of the Shroud by mocking my assertion that the evidence shows, beyond a reasonable doubt, it is authentic. You must have reasons to be skeptical. Tell me your reasons. If your reason is you believe there is not enough evidence then at least offer what more evidence is needed. And as I mentioned above, within a standard of reasonable doubt as is used in Court, not beyond any possibility.

As far as your allegation that my attitude provides cannon fodder for the looney left, well that allegation itself is looney. How does pointing to abundant evidence that the Shroud is authentic provide cannon fodder for the looney left? What is truly looney, yet in complete accordance with leftist debate tactics when they are losing the debate, is to simply ignore the evidence. That seems to be what you are doing because you have not even discussed the evidence at all. You have not given even one good reason to be skeptical that the Shroud is authentic.

“Do not argue with an idiot ... they drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.” ― Mark Twain

My level is to actually point to evidence to support my case, and your level is to just ignore the evidence and use that to support your case. That is not a rational way of thinking.

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