Shroud of Turin to be digitally showcased during Holy Year

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Shroud of Turin, one of Catholicism's most valued devotional items, will be digitally showcased during the Holy Year 2025, allowing visitors to engage with the revered relic like never before.

The shroud, a linen cloth many believe is the burial shroud of Jesus Christ and bears his image, traditionally draws thousands of pilgrims during rare public displays.

While there will be no physical exposition of the shroud in 2025, the Archdiocese of Turin unveiled plans March 15 for a multimedia initiative featuring a full-scale digital version of the cloth to offer the faithful a new way to explore its image and mystery.

"In this Jubilee Year, we have sought a new approach to the shroud, focusing on new digital technologies," said Cardinal Roberto Repole of Turin at a news conference in Turin announcing the initiative while virtually linked to the Vatican press office.

"That cloth, the shroud, is an invitation to live life with hope, because it is also the imprint of the Resurrection -- of someone who is no longer in death," the cardinal said, connecting the shroud to the Jubilee theme of hope.

Visitors to the northern Italian city can experience the "Tent of the Shroud" in Turin's main square, Piazza Castello, April 28-May 5, where the life-sized digital replica will be displayed on an interactive table. The installation allows viewers to illuminate and explore key details of the cloth, such as the face, the crown of thorns and the marks of crucifixion. The digital replica of the shroud will be made available online after its exhibition in Turin.

The tent will also host a photographic exhibit titled "Faces in the Face" -- a collection of portraits and images that explore the face of Christ as reflected in the Shroud of Turin and in the faces of people both throughout history and in present day.

Daily talks on faith, youth and hope also will be offered in the tent.

A major goal of the initiative, organizers said, is to engage young people in the mystery and message of the shroud. On May 3, the feast of the Shroud of Turin, hundreds of young people from the dioceses of Turin and Susa will gather at the tent for a day of prayer and reflection as part of local Jubilee celebrations.

Organizers also are planning for the young people to join for a moment of prayer in front of the digital shroud while connected live with Pope Francis.

Cardinal Repole said he hoped the new way of engaging with the shroud "will draw new people who are interested in the shroud, in its vision and particularly what it represents to younger generations."

Especially at a time marked by war, economic insecurity and social isolation, "the shroud, as a mold of the Resurrection, is hope," the cardinal said, " because it opens us up to contain all the good that we experience in this life, but also to redeem all the bad."

The Shroud of Turin has been venerated for centuries as a relic of Jesus' passion and resurrection. While its authenticity remains a topic of scientific debate, the shroud holds deep devotional significance to many Catholics and has inspired pilgrimages and extensive research.

It is housed in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, and due to its fragile condition is only occasionally displayed to the public during special events. The last time the shroud was on display was in 2015.