One of the most popular attractions at the National Eucharistic Congress was the Shroud of Turin Exhibit, which featured a full-sized 14-foot replica of the Shroud of Turin. The exhibit drew in thousands of faithful, and even Jonathan Roumie, star of The Chosen, went for a visit.
On the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit’s official website, organizers show Roumie walking the exhibit examining the different displays of the replica of the shroud and a bust of the face of the crucified man whose image the shroud bears. The actor was said to humbly dodge exclamations from fans that the image on the shroud looked like him.
Aleteia has often written on the Shroud of Turin, the cryptic cloth that many believe to be the true shroud in which Christ was buried. While it is not officially recognized by the Catholic Church to be a relic, the curious, anatomically correct image of a scourged man – appearing as a photographic negative – has been found to reflect the wounds inflicted on Jesus according to the biblical narratives of the Passion.
Organizers of the National Eucharistic Congress display reported that the exhibit was mobbed by the faithful, with lines to enter the exhibit stretching on unceasingly throughout every day of the Congress. So many people wanted to attend the program of guest speakers’ presentations on the shroud that the large ballroom that was used for the exhibition was always standing room only.
The National Shroud of Turin Exhibit team describes the exhibit as “impactful, interactive and immersive high-tech” with the content of the exhibition having been put together by 14 experts on the Shroud.
Othonia, a Rome-based international organization responsible for Shroud education, created the exhibit. The panels were developed with input from Shroud scholars from all over the world. The replica was made by the Shroud of Turin Research Association (STERA), which was helmed by the late Barrie Schwortz.
Learn more about the real Shroud of Turin, as well as more about the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit at the group’s official website.
[This article was updated after publication to correct an error in regard to the creators of the exhibit. Aleteia regrets the error.]
