They are 4.5 meters of linen more controversial in the world. For some, are the shroud in which was wrapped the body of Christ after being crucified. For others, it is a ready-made absolutely false relic during the Middle Ages.
After ten years exhibit in Italy, the Holy Shroud, the linen 4.5 meters world's most controversial. For some, are the shroud in which was wrapped the body of Christ after being crucified. For others, it is a ready-made absolutely false relic during the Middle Ages.
Since around the year 1350 the Shroud made appearance in the French diocese of Troyes, was always surrounded by controversy. And now exhibited in public again, after ten years hidden from the eyes of pilgrims and curious, again revived the controversy.
Because from this afternoon at 18, and until May 23, the shroud can be seen in the Cathedral of Turin, the city from 1578 houses the controversial relic, bought by the Savoy family to the descendants of Mr. de Troyes in exchange for a castle.
It is expected that two million people come to contemplate, according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
"We are eager to see it. For us as believers is of immense value," says Eloisa Mora, who with her husband and three children arrived in Turin on Friday from Andorra with one goal: to see with their own eyes Shroud.
"Me neither goes through my head to see her. It's a piece of cloth without," said Francesco a Torino 37 years working as a computer programmer at a bank.
But the controversial exhibition of the relic, about whose veracity the Vatican never officially pronounced, promises to be an event.
For starters, be the first time that the controversial shroud is exposed after the restoration process he underwent in 2002 and which were withdrawn patches that you sewed nuns after a fire in 1532 affected him.
And the first time also to be displayed within the box, fireproof and attacks in which is preserved since 2000, no air, surrounded by an inert gas at constant temperature and monitored at all times.
The 50,000 visitors a day will come to gaze estimates may not enjoy much in his vision: on average only three minutes may be to the web, five if you get lucky and it is a day with little influx.
But in the Turin City Council believe that the two million people in the next six weeks will come to this city, attracted by the claim of the Shroud will it substantial economic benefits: 50 million euros.
In fact it was the city of Turin, in order to cope with the crisis, asked the Archbishop to authorize a new exhibition of the shroud.
"For an exhibition of the Shroud is not only a religious but also a source of income and promotion for Turin," says Fiorenzo Alfieri, Councillor for Culture of the City of Turin and chairman of the Shroud.
Entering the cathedral of Turin to see the Shroud will be free. But everything else will have to pay religiously. The hotels have long been booked for all weekends long as exposure of the shroud.
Many restaurants are expected to do good business and decided to open every day for six weeks on release of the disputed relic.
There are even 'merchadising' created for the occasion from a three-dimensional lenses that are supposed to distinguish details in the fabric at first glance are not perceived as such traces of blood (sold for two euros, three euros special model for the short-sighted) to the flood of books on the Shroud that fill bookstores and newsstands in the city.
Not to mention the posters, videos, shirts and other souvenirs. 30 O tax rate euros in environmental Turin City Council decided to charge each of the 20,000 buses of tourists and pilgrims into the city to see the Shroud.
Or the numerous exhibitions related to Christ and his crucifixion cluttering Turin, and yes you have to pay to see.
In total, the City of Turin, the Piedmont and the Italian bishops' conference have paid five million euros to organize the exhibition of the Shroud.
But pilgrims are expected to leave the city 10 euros for every euro invested in them. "That's at least have made the calculation based on other cultural events we have done," says Alfieri.
This means that the Holy Shroud in Turin could leave some 50 million euros.
After ten years exhibit in Italy, the Holy Shroud, the linen 4.5 meters world's most controversial. For some, are the shroud in which was wrapped the body of Christ after being crucified. For others, it is a ready-made absolutely false relic during the Middle Ages.
Since around the year 1350 the Shroud made appearance in the French diocese of Troyes, was always surrounded by controversy. And now exhibited in public again, after ten years hidden from the eyes of pilgrims and curious, again revived the controversy.
Because from this afternoon at 18, and until May 23, the shroud can be seen in the Cathedral of Turin, the city from 1578 houses the controversial relic, bought by the Savoy family to the descendants of Mr. de Troyes in exchange for a castle.
It is expected that two million people come to contemplate, according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
"We are eager to see it. For us as believers is of immense value," says Eloisa Mora, who with her husband and three children arrived in Turin on Friday from Andorra with one goal: to see with their own eyes Shroud.
"Me neither goes through my head to see her. It's a piece of cloth without," said Francesco a Torino 37 years working as a computer programmer at a bank.
But the controversial exhibition of the relic, about whose veracity the Vatican never officially pronounced, promises to be an event.
For starters, be the first time that the controversial shroud is exposed after the restoration process he underwent in 2002 and which were withdrawn patches that you sewed nuns after a fire in 1532 affected him.
And the first time also to be displayed within the box, fireproof and attacks in which is preserved since 2000, no air, surrounded by an inert gas at constant temperature and monitored at all times.
The 50,000 visitors a day will come to gaze estimates may not enjoy much in his vision: on average only three minutes may be to the web, five if you get lucky and it is a day with little influx.
But in the Turin City Council believe that the two million people in the next six weeks will come to this city, attracted by the claim of the Shroud will it substantial economic benefits: 50 million euros.
In fact it was the city of Turin, in order to cope with the crisis, asked the Archbishop to authorize a new exhibition of the shroud.
"For an exhibition of the Shroud is not only a religious but also a source of income and promotion for Turin," says Fiorenzo Alfieri, Councillor for Culture of the City of Turin and chairman of the Shroud.
Entering the cathedral of Turin to see the Shroud will be free. But everything else will have to pay religiously. The hotels have long been booked for all weekends long as exposure of the shroud.
Many restaurants are expected to do good business and decided to open every day for six weeks on release of the disputed relic.
There are even 'merchadising' created for the occasion from a three-dimensional lenses that are supposed to distinguish details in the fabric at first glance are not perceived as such traces of blood (sold for two euros, three euros special model for the short-sighted) to the flood of books on the Shroud that fill bookstores and newsstands in the city.
Not to mention the posters, videos, shirts and other souvenirs. 30 O tax rate euros in environmental Turin City Council decided to charge each of the 20,000 buses of tourists and pilgrims into the city to see the Shroud.
Or the numerous exhibitions related to Christ and his crucifixion cluttering Turin, and yes you have to pay to see.
In total, the City of Turin, the Piedmont and the Italian bishops' conference have paid five million euros to organize the exhibition of the Shroud.
But pilgrims are expected to leave the city 10 euros for every euro invested in them. "That's at least have made the calculation based on other cultural events we have done," says Alfieri.
This means that the Holy Shroud in Turin could leave some 50 million euros.