Side view of the sculpture of the man of the Shroud. (Credit: Copyright Collection of Gilbert Lavoie)

'Lord, You Could Not Love Me More!' Saint John Paul II and the Shroud of Turin

A response to Saint John Paul II’s call for greater understanding of and devotion to the Shroud of Turin, this exhibit seeks to deepen the pilgrim’s encounter with the mystery of the Holy Shroud, the likely burial cloth of Jesus referred to in Sacred Scripture. The display also encourages pilgrims to repentance and conversion during the Lenten season:

“The Shroud does not hold people's hearts to itself, but turns them to him, at whose service the Father's loving providence has put it. Therefore, it is right to foster an awareness of the precious value of this image, which everyone sees and no one at 5470present can explain. For every thoughtful person it is a reason for deep reflection, which can even involve one's life. The Shroud is thus a truly unique sign that points to Jesus, the true Word of the Father, and invites us to pattern our lives on the life of the One who gave Himself for us.” Saint John Paul II, Address at the Cathedral of Turin Before the Shroud (May 1998)

Learning More About the Shroud of Turin

Tracing the movement of the Shroud in history, the exhibit explores what the Shroud reveals about salvation, drawing from both Sacred Scripture and scientific research. The exhibit also includes a replica of the Shroud of Turin on loan from the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit, a sculpture entitled The Sign that renders a life-size, three-dimensional image of the Man of the Shroud, over 40 gallery panels containing images and text, and prayer resources.

Saint John Paul II’s teaching about the Shroud of Turin illustrates his confident approach to investigate the ancient mysteries in light of both faith and reason. During his 1998 visit, he said,

“The Church entrusts to scientists the task of continuing to investigate, so that satisfactory answers may be found to the questions connected with this Sheet, which, according to tradition, wrapped the body of our Redeemer after He had been taken down from the cross. The Church urges that the Shroud be studied without pre-established positions that take for granted results that are not such; She invites them to act with interior freedom and attentive respect for both scientific methodology and the sensibilities of believers.”

As one example of Saint John Paul II’s call for research on the Shroud, the exhibit profiles the current research of Gilbert Lavoie, MD, a medical expert on the study of the Shroud and author of The Shroud of Jesus: And the Sign John Ingeniously Concealed. Dr. Lavoie explains, “The raised, lifted Jesus, the result of a visual medical forensic journey of discovery, unlocks the mystery of the burial cloth left to us by God. When the lifted man of the Shroud is related to the Gospel of John, many new insights are revealed. This is John’s astonishing story about how God is visually communicating to humanity through his Son’s Shroud, telling us how real He is and how much He loves us.” Dr. Lavoie collaborated with internationally recognized sculptor Pablo Eduardo to create a sculpture, The Sign, based on Dr. Lavoie’s scientific observations of the Shroud’s image and included in the Shrine’s exhibit.

Lenten Repentance, Conversion and Mercy

Saint John Paul II observed during his 1998 visit:

“Contemplation of that tortured Body helps contemporary man to free himself from the superficiality of the selfishness with which he frequently treats love and sin. Echoing the Word of God and centuries of Christian consciousness, the Shroud whispers: believe in God's love, the greatest treasure given to humanity, and flee from sin, the greatest misfortune in history.”

In line with our Patron’s plea for conversion in light of the sacrificial love of Christ, the exhibit shows how the human body can express the most radical love and—especially during Lent—the power of redemptive suffering. The Shroud connects us with God’s most loving gift to humanity: Jesus’ salvific crucifixion and resurrection. It is our sincere hope that through this exhibit our pilgrims may experience God’s mercy during Lent.

The exhibit, “‘Lord, You Could Not Love Me More!' Saint John Paul II and the Shroud of Turin” opens on Ash Wednesday, runs through Easter Sunday, and will be available in both English and Spanish. Visit our Events page for lectures about the Shroud of Turin.