The Shroud of Turin, worshiped by some Christians as the burial cloth of Jesus, will go on virtual display for Easter, church officials said.
The shroud, stored in a climate-controlled vault at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, will be displayed via livestream on Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday, Turin Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia announced.
Nosiglia, who will pray before the holy relic in a live-streamed event, said he has received “thousands and thousands” of requests to display the shroud during Easter — and in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic.
The rarely-seen shroud was last shown in 2018 to a youth group, and was viewed by millions during its last major showing in 2015.
Critics contend the shroud is a fake, citing carbon dating performed in 1988 that dated it to between 1260 and 1390, centuries after Jesus’ death.
The Catholic church has not taken a stance on the authenticity of the shroud, but it continues to be revered by millions as the cloth used to cover Jesus after his crucifixion.
It appears to display a bearded man with his arms crossed and wounds consistent with crucifixion.
Researchers in Italy reported in 2017 that the shroud bore traces of blood, likely from a torture victim.
But in a 2018 report in The Journal of Forensic Sciences, researchers claimed the bloodstains were likely fake.
Nosiglia said the shroud will be displayed Saturday at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.
