CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A replica of the Holy Shroud and Holy Veil bought in Turin by a Kapampangan architect were recently unveiled and blessed by Archbishop Emeritus Paciano Aniceto, Fr. Corsie Legaspi and Fr. Fernando Surez before members of a religious community here.
Urban planner and Architect Nestor Mangio, presiding elder of the Spirit of Love Catholic Charismatic Community, shared that "the Holy Shroud is the cloth that wrapped the body of Jesus when He was laid to rest. It is the physical evidence that Jesus left for us. It shows the true face of Jesus, His front and back."
He furthered that the Holy Shroud has been subjected to investigation not only by the religious but also by scientists. "Though it is 2,000 years old, it has not faded at all. Our replica is the same size as the original, measuring two and a half by 14 feet. It is made of herring bone pattern like cloth like that of denims. The burned marks happened December 4, 1532 when the metal coffin got burned in the Chambery. The Holy Shroud was folded 16 times. It is the corners of those folds that got burned. The nuns have sewn the Shroud with patches of cloth. Please notice too, the holes and water marks because of the fire. The Holy Shroud shows the image of a man about 5’10” tall. He was whipped, tortured, speared and crucified with wounds on the head, chest, wrist and feet. The face has blood stains from the crown of thorns, one eye closed, nose broken and face swollen. There is blood clot on the hair because of the wounds from the crown of thorns.”
“The first photo of the Holy Shroud was taken in 1898 by Pio Segundo. The photo film is positive while the one on the cloth is negative. Normally the film is negative. There is no photography 2000 years ago and there is absolutely no way that they can photograph or paint the image. In 1978 an American scientist examined the Holy Shroud and said that there is no medium or paint that can do this image. Then the big question is, what made the image? It is said that when Jesus Christ resurrected there was a flash of light and that light imprinted an image on the cloth,” Mangio said.
He added that in 33 AD, from Jerusalem, the Holy Shroud went to Edessa, Turkey in 544 AD. To prove that the cloth is the real one, King Edgar prayed over it and he was healed of leprosy. In 1349, The Holy Shroud was laid on a dead man and he became alive. Then in 944 it was in Constantinople and in 1204 it was taken by the crusaders. In 1353, the Shroud appeared in Lirey, France. When it was with the Savoy Family, it got burned in 1532. In 1534, the Nuns of Poor Clares of Chambery sewed patches on the burnt holes. From 1578 it went to Turin, Italy. Since 1694 the Holy Shroud was kept in the Cathedral of Turin.
“In 1976 Rey Dawning photographed the face with the same camera they used to capture the moon. Mr. Dawning was able to produce a 3D picture of Jesus. In the picture they were able to identify the 2 coins placed on the eyes of Jesus, which were found to date from 14 to 37 AD. Jesus died 33 AD. In 1978, the Church allowed scientist to examine the Holy Shroud taking 30, 000 pictures. Their conclusion: it is not a painting.
It is said that the Holy Shroud is the mark of Jesus when He was dead that is why His eyes are closed. The Holy Face is the mark of His face when He rose from His death and with eyes open. The Holy Veil was placed over the Holy Shroud as written in the Gospel of St. John. Jesus’ face in the Holy Face is already clean and without wounds because He has risen. The face on the Holy Shroud and the Holy Veil when put together fits exactly and are the same size, concluding they are one and the same person. The blood on the Holy Shroud and the blood on the Holy Host in Lanciano, Italy that turned into real flesh of Jesus, the same blood type,” narrated Mangio.
Mangio encouraged the community to contemplate on the two images and evidences that should be enough to bring the faithful back to Jesus and to love Him more.
“His sufferings are nothing compared to what we are going through. His death is one of the greatest confirmations of His love for us,” Mangio said.