NEWS
 
  • On November 6 at 12.30 p.m., in the Aula Magna of the Metropolitan Seminary in XX Settembre street, during a press conference the Archbishop of Turin Cesare Nosiglia and the president of the Organizing Committee of the 2015 Exhibition, Elide Tisi, showed the booking system of the visits, the new website, the media campaign and the next initiatives for the Exhibition.(Diocesi di Torino website, 6 novembre 2014)

  • Pope Francis during the public audience on 11.5.2014On November 5, 2014, during the weekly Public Audience in Vatican, Pope Francis announced the date of his presence in Turin for the Holy Shroud Exhibition. Here there are the words of the announcement:

"First I welcome the Archbishop of Turin, Mons. Cesare Nosiglia and the official delegation of the Diocese, with the major Piero Fassino. I'm glad to announce that, God grant it, next June 21st, I will go on a pilgrimage to Turin to worship the Holy Shroud and honour St. John Bosco, in the bicentenary of his birth".

(Diocesi di Torino website, November 5, 2014)

  • Press Conference for the Shroud Exhibition, the initiatives for the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. John Bosco and the visit of Pope Francis in Turin in 2015, November 5, 2014

Today at 12.30 p.m. it took place in the Aula Giovanni Paolo II of the Press Room of the Holy Seat, a press conference to show the Shroud Exhibition in 2015 (April 19th - June 24th)della Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, una conferenza stampa per presentare l’ostensione della Sindone 2015 (19 aprile - 24 giugno), the initiatives for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. John Bosco and the visit of Pope Francis in Turin, announced this morning during the Public Audience.
H.E. Mons. Cesare Nosiglia, Archbishop of Turin, Pontifical Custodian of the Shroud; On. Piero Fassino, Major of  Turin; Mrs. Elide Tisi, Vice-Major of Torino; Dr. Marco Bonatti, Director of the Communication of the Exhibithion Committee 2015 were present.
Here there is the intervention of H.E. Mons. Cesare Nosiglia:

Intervention of H.E. Mons. Cesare Nosiglia

Pope Francis’ announcement of his intention to visit Turin in order to contemplate the Holy Shroud and to commemorate the birth of St. John Bosco has set into motion plans for a series of three events to take place in the city and its environs during 2015: the exhibition of the Holy Shroud from 19 April to 24 June, the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. John Bosco, "Father and Teacher of youth", and Pope Francis’ visit.

The exposition of the Holy Shroud in the Cathedral of Turin will dedicate particular attention to themes of youth and physical and spiritual suffering. The Exhibition, announced by and organized at the behest of Pope Francis, is linked to the jubilee for the bicentenary of St. John Bosco.

The Motto

The Papal Custodian of the Shroud, Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin, has chosen the motto "the Greatest Love" from the Gospel of John (15,13) to highlight the profound link between all aspects of love: giving life also means responding, giving meaning to the vocation of humanity, and God’s love is continually made manifest in the gift of Jesus Christ, unto his death on the Cross and his resurrection.

The Logo

The official logo and symbol of the 2015 Holy Shroud Exhibition reflects the theme of the event, "the Greatest Love" and displays the Face of the Shroud. The logo was designed by the Armando Testa Agency, on the basis of proposals and ideas developed by young students from Turin.

A group of students from the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts and young people participating in the youth pastoral ministry of the diocese were involved in research and offered graphic designs inspired by the motto.

A "focused" communication strategy has been developed to distribute key information about the Holy Shroud Exhibition both in Italy and abroad, also based on the theme of the motto and logo, and will be launched in November. For the occasion, the graphic layout of the official website www.sindone.org has been completely renewed. Visits may be booked at this site.

Reservation

As in previous exhibitions, viewing the Holy Shroud is free of charge, since it is a religious and ecclesial event. Thanks to the support offered by various bodies who have covered the logistical and organizational costs of the exhibition, admission to view the Holy Shroud is free, but reservations are obligatory in order to enable the throughput of pilgrims to be better coordinated and to avoid long waits to access the Cathedral. Booking may be made exclusively via the official website, RLINK"http://www.sindone.org" www.sindone.org.

Youth

The pilgrimage to the Holy Shroud will coincide with the bicentenary celebrations of the birth of St. John Bosco birth (http://www.donboscoitalia.it), which began in August 2014 and will continue until 16 August 2015.

The youth congregation and pastoral ministry of the diocese of Turin have launched a joint programme to welcome the young during Holy Shroud Exhibition and in particular during the days of Pope Francis’ visit to Turin. Several Italian dioceses have organized youth pilgrimages to the Holy Shroud, to be combined with moments of prayer and opportunities to gather, celebrate and reflect together.

The website www.turinforyoung.it provides all the information for the youth pastoral and pilgrimage.

The sick

Welcome for the sick is a constant characteristic of the exhibition, due to the clear link between the Shroud and the suffering of the body, as well as to the "night of the spirit", anguish and solitude. In 2015 pilgrims suffering as a result of illness will receive special attention in the liturgy, and time and pastoral initiatives linked to the exhibition will be dedicated to them.

There are also some substantial new features: the pastoral ministry of healthcare in Turin has organized two structures for welcoming sick pilgrims and their carers who wish to visit the Shroud. In the "Maria Adelaide" and "Cottolengo" hospitals, very close to the Cathedral, seventy beds will be made available, organized on the basis of the Lourdes accueil model, with optional meals, at controlled prices. In Turin in recent days a convention was signed by the local health authority ASL1, the diocese and the Cottolengo Hospital. Other reception points for brief stays (day-long) will be established at the Sermig premises in Borgo Dora, not far from the Cathedral.

Grants

Forms are available on the site www.sindone.org to propose meetings for further study and prayer in preparation for the visit for catechumens, groups of young people and adults. In addition, the diocesan Commission for the Shroud is available to offer speakers for conferences, upon request. For further information, please contact commissione.diocesana@sindone.org.

Confessors

During recent exhibitions of the Shroud, a confessions service has been offered in the principal languages. Following their visit to the Shroud, pilgrims may partake in the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation in locations near the Cathedral. The service has been well-received and greatly appreciated by many pilgrims, thanks also to the availability of a number of foreign priests and missionaries, who have offered their time to cover the shifts.

Volunteers

The "Purple jackets" are the most important asset in support of the Holy Shroud Exhibition, the Church and the City of Turin. Over 3,500 volunteers will be available to support the organization of the event, welcoming pilgrims inside the Cathedral and guiding them along the Royal Garden path, through the bookshop and the Royal Castle.

As in previous events, the volunteers are mostly from the parishes of the diocese of Turin, but some are members of the Italian military forces (e.g. the Alpini -Italian Alpine Military Troops; Carabinieri and Guardia di Finanza) and other volunteer groups. Some of the volunteers had offered their work and time on the occasion of the 20th Winter Olympic Games in Turin 2006.

The organization

The local institutions of the Municipality of Turin and Piedmont Region have enthusiastically supported the Holy Shroud Exhibition, offering economic contributions and all other necessary services. The Organizing Committee is composed of 8 entities: the archdiocese of Turin, the City of Turin, the Piedmont Region, the Compagnia di San Paolo and CRT (Bank Foundations), the Directorate General for Cultural and Artistic Heritage, and the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project is also assisted by the Province of Turin, currently facing the transformation of the City into a metropolitan centre.

In order to support the organizational costs, other local and non-local partners have been involved in the supply of services and products. This offers a clear sign of the importance of "cooperation" and involvement of the entire territorial system in an event which is important not only for its spiritual meaning, but also for its economic and cultural consequences and its impact on tourism. Private firms have been involved in developing a series of initiatives and services, such as the design of the "Apps" for tablets and smart-phones to distribute information on the Holy Shroud Exhibition, the interior refurbishment of the Cathedral and the improvement of the Cathedral security system. Crowd-funding projects have been planned to find new private partners interested in contributing the event.

It is noteworthy that the 2015 Milan Expo will be held at the same time. The public institutions of the Municipality of Turin are working hard to guarantee their presence at the Milan Expo which will serve as a great showcase for promoting events and initiatives in northern Italy (including the Shroud Exposition).

The most recent Shroud Exhibitions

The 2015 Holy Shroud Exhibition is the third public event of its kind in the new millennium; the Shroud was also displayed to the public in 2000 (for the Jubilee) and 2010.

Other recent exhibitions were held in 1998 and 1978: this latter was the first after the Second World War. This was the first public exhibition since 1933 (when the Holy Shroud was exhibited for the last time as part of the celebrations for Holy Year.).The 1978 Exhibition was the first "pastoral" exposition; it was the first time the decision to exhibit the Shroud to the public was taken not by the Italian Savoy family, the ruling family of Italy, but rather by a Pope in order to commemorate the Passion of Jesus Christ.

Televisual expositions of the Shroud may be added to the list: the image was broadcast to the wider public in 1983 for the first time ever, and again on 30 March 2013.

Popes

Since 1978 the Roman Popes have expressed an interest in participating in the public expositions of the Holy Shroud either with a message or their own personal presence; this is a symbol of the importance represented by the Holy Shroud as an "icon of the Passion of Jesus Christ".

Pope Francis has announced his intention to visit the 2015 Exposition, Benedict XVI visited Turin on 2 May 2010, and Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage on 24 May 1998 (the first time Cardinal Wojtyła visited the Holy Shroud was in October 1978, on the occasion of the Conclave in which he was elected as Pope).

A private viewing of the Shroud was arranged for Pope John Paul II by the Custodian, Cardinal Ballestrero, on 13 April 1980 following the celebration of the Holy Mass in Piazza Duomo. In 1984 the Holy See became the legal owner of the Shroud, bequeathed by King Umberto II of Savoy.

Cultural events

On the occasion of the Holy Shroud Exhibition, both the city of Turin and neighbouring towns will organize special cultural events and art initiatives. All the main events will be listed on the website NK"http://www.sindone.org"www.sindone.org. The Holy Shroud Museum (www.sindone.it) holds important artefacts and relics documenting the history of the Shroud and offers an informative itinerary examining related scientific research.

The Diocesan Museum, located inside the crypt of the Cathedral, conserves magnificent examples of religious art from Turin and the Piedmont region, and will exhibit works linked to the theme of the Lord’s Passion.

Science

The Holy Shroud Exhibition is a religious and pastoral event. No specific research initiatives are planned for 2015.

After the Exhibition

The Custodian, Archbishop Nosiglia, hopes that the Holy Shroud Exhibition will create a special "memory" for the city of Turin. Donations offered by pilgrims will not be devolved to the diocese but will instead be used for the implementation of an important social initiative: an hospice for the care of the terminally ill. Pilgrims may donate not only through the traditional "Bussolotti" but also by sending a text (SMS) to a dedicated number, to be announced shortly.

Media and Accreditation

Journalists, film crews and photographers may obtain a press pass from the "Press" area on the official Website. The press pass allows online access to information services and material throughout the duration of the Exhibition and is necessary for professional visits. As in previous events, on the occasion of the Pope’s visit it will be necessary to follow specific procedures, to be clarified in due course.

(Bulletin of the Press Room of the Holy Seat, November 5, 2014)

  • For the Shroud Exhibition (April 19th - June 24th 2015) it is possible booking the visit to the Holy Cloth on line

Booking on line requires a few minutes and a valid e-mail address is necessary, you have also to give a valid phone number in the given space of the personal references.

Before proceeding, please be reminded that:

- The Exposition begins on April 19th 2015 and ends on June 24th 2015;

- The booking can be made for single or group visits;

- At the end of the booking process you will be issued a code which, together with your surname, you will be able to use to change or delete your booking;

- The ticket booked will be sent to you via e-mail.

- In the impossibility to make the visit, please cancel the booking using the delete booking function.

- The link for booking is the follow: http://www.piemonteitalia.eu/prenotazione/welcome.do?codEvento=OSS2015

  • In the days 16-18 October 2014 it was held in Würzburg (Germany) an International Conference on the Image of Christ, “Provenance and origin in East and West”.
Provenance and origin in East and West - Wurzburg (Germany)
  • In the days 9-12 October 2014 it was held in St. Louis (Missouri, USA) an International Conference on the Turin Shroud, “The Controversial Intersection of Faith and Science”, http://www.stlouisshroudconference.com/
The Controversial Intersection of Faith and Science - St. Louis (Missouri - USA)
  • A great scholar of the Shroud has left us on August 16: Dorothy Crispino, foundress of the journal Shroud Spectrum International. We will remember her for the vastness of her culture and the humility of her spirit of service.

Dorothy Crispino

  • "The Greatest Love" is the motto of the 2015 Exhibition

«The Greatest Love», motto of the 2015 Exhibition of the Shroud, refers directly  to Jesus' words: «No one has greater love than to lay down his life for his friends», in the Gospel of John (15,13). (Diocesi di Torino website, March 5, 2014)

Logo of the Exhibition 2015

  • 2015 Exhibition, here are the dates

The Exhibition will take place from Sunday, April 19 to Wednesday, June 24, the feast of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of Turin and name-day of Don Bosco. The expected period is longer (67 days) compared to that of other exhibitions of the Cloth; but it was decided, in this way, to provide the time span as wide as possible both for the Pope's visit and for the pilgrimage to the Shroud of young people who participate in the various Salesian Jubilee celebrations. As you know Pope Francis has ensured his presence in Turin to venerate the Shroud and honor the memory of Don Bosco in the bicentenary of his birth, but  precise dates for his visit have not yet been specified. (Diocese of Turin website, February 27, 2014)


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