Thousands of relics vie for attention within the churches of the Roman
communion, from pieces of the 'true cross to the vials of saintly blood, to bits of
hallowed anatomy. But the Shroud of Turin has long been the most controversial
relic in Christendom.
For many it is merely a way of making a fast buck. The National Enquirer
recently advertised 'Shroud Miracle Cloth replicas for $12.95 to help buyers 'win
at bingo, the races, card games, etc
Scientists have asserted that theoretically as well as practically there is no
scientific way to prove the shroud is what it is alleged to be. Walter McCrone, one
of the worlds greatest Microscopists, told the British Society for the Turin Shroud
on Sept 11, 1980 that the shroud is a fake. His micro-analysis of 'blood area
reveals it to be an iron oxide pigment in use since pre-historic times. 'I am very
sure of the data I have, he said. (Harpers Magazine, Nov 1981)
Reports of numerous shrouds, some with images some without, have
appeared intermittently for several centuries. However, the Shroud of Turin can
be traced back definitely to 1357 A.D. when it was being exhibited by Jeanne de Vergy
to raise badly needed cash. Henry of Poitiers the Bishop of Troy, immediately
denounced it as a forgery and claimed he knew the person who had made it.
However, money raisers continue to exhibit this cloth ever since those days.
The Shroud's scientific team made photographs of what appears to be
imprints of coins on the Shroud. I have seen enlarged photos of these imprints.
However, as a numismatist, I believe this evidence is sufficient to prove the
shroud is not that in which Jesus Christ was wrapped for the following reasons.
The curved stem appearing on this coin (minted under Pontius Pilate) is really a
sacerdotal wand connected with sorcery and witchcraft, and an abomination to
any Orthodox Jew.
Someone during the dark ages thought this would be conclusive evidence
to prove the Shroud s authenticity by placing a Pontius Pilate coin (current issue)
at the time of the cruxcifiction. They forgot the Jews who were blamed for Christ s
death were fanatics against pagan emblems. Emperor Vespasian of 69 A.D.
created a revolt because of this coinage he forced upon them-A sow pig and her
sucklings, for example.. (I have owned and exhibited this coin, a silver denarius)
Those who prepared the body of Jesus for burial certainly knew the
meaning of the emblem of the symbolism of the Pontius Pilate coin and would
never have permitted the desecration of placing it on the eyelids of Jesus Christ, as was the custom at this time;
As the indentations have supposedly revealed.
Further, the Shroud of Turin is only one piece. The Holy Scriptures reveals
that there was more than one piece. Read John 19:40 and Luke 24: 12.
This article was written for an April issue of a Religious Paper published
April 1983 to coincide with Easter when so many people are thinking about the
death of Jesus and His resurrection. The prompt to write it came after I had read
Claims mentioned in the National Enquirer.
I just learned as recent as our Apr. 1997 Numismatist Magazine, a couple of paragraphs were devoted to this portraiture idea which I have already written about. This is reported on page 367 of that issue-publication by the A.N.A.
(American Numismatic Assoc) the A.N.A. brief is quoting one Dennis J. Mercieri,
who was reporting in the Jan. 1997 Catholic Diocese Publication. His brief tends
to use the coin as proof. In view of history, Numismatics and all other circumstances-you the reader/numismatist may judge for yourself.
Copyrighted 1983
Copyrighted Jan 2001 Not to be copied and pasted to be emailed without authors permission. Please Respect copyrighted materials.
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