January 1st, 2025

Will the New Year 2025 bring any breakthroughs or revelations about the Turin Shroud? By whom and on what subject? I have no prognosis, either precise or certain. Precision remains uncertain, and certainty is always imprecise.

However, it is possible to provide some precision on the expectations related to the Shroud, whether they are realized or not. The first concerns the ostension, which will not take place in the long-awaited format. Instead, it will take the form of a virtual ostension, avoiding the need for travel. It could be the largest gathering of virtual pilgrims since the Shroud came into existence, but many were hoping for an onsite ostension.

There is also the symposium promised for this summer in Saint Louis, Missouri. The program is underway, but we're already seeing the return of familiar themes: the image being formed by an incomprehensible collapse of the Shroud, Otto de La Roche receiving the Shroud from who knows whom and bringing it back to France via a speculative route, the Templars guarding the Shroud who knows where, and many other subjects. However, many would like to add more details to these historical hypotheses. Unfortunatly, new speculations are invented with no sources, superfluous historical elements are added and ancient documents reinterpreted to fill in the gaps. Meanwhile, the search for new ancient documents is neglected. Can we expect a breakthrough in our understanding of the history of the Shroud? Some says no, all relevant documents would have been discovered. In any case, no certainty is possible, as everything is based on hypotheses. Can we at least debate the subject to get a clearer picture? That wouldn't be a good idea, as it would be criticizing friends. I think there are fundamental errors in this methodology.

The irony of names and events: Saint Louis, King of the Franks, would no doubt have loved to contemplate this extraordinary relic. Yet he focused all his attention on the Crown of Thorns, in which he placed all his hopes for the Second Coming of Christ. Although he had acquired twenty-two of the most precious relics from the imperial palace in Constantinople at a high price, and had built the majestic Sainte-Chapelle in Paris to glorify France in the eyes of Christendom, he didn't seem to feel any disappointment at not possessing the Shroud that Otto de La Roche would have obtained in Constantinople. But did he really own it? After all, there was no proof of ownership in the 13th century, any more than there is today, despite the claims of some. All the evidence suggests that it was elsewhere. Could Saint Louis have possessed the Shroud in the Sainte-Chapelle without even being aware of it? The idea is fascinating, almost fabulous. Yet, although the Mandylion had been deposited in the Sainte-Chapelle, neither the king nor the canons seem to have identified it as such. That's an observation to think about: Saint Louis knew nothing of the Mandylion, nor did his cousin Baldwin, Emperor of Byzantium, who also failed to recognize it. Unfortunately, this ignorance reflects a reality that is still common today: a lack of in-depth analysis by sindonologists of this relic at the Sainte-Chapelle of Paris.

Perhaps new documentaries will be produced. This is almost certain, given the invaluable publicity generated by this virtual ostension. But what will be the quality of the speakers? Will there be prodigious special effects? A visit to the tomb of Christ in Jerusalem? A presentation in Lirey? Or perhaps, a miracle, an interview at the Sainte-Chapelle of Paris? It's all possible, but we can't be sure.

We can hope that the Turin authorities will be more open to research. However, we're likely going to be sorely disappointed, as nothing has changed for decades. Although there is preserved material from 2002, it has been decreed inaccessible to anyone. But then, to whom and for what purpose could it be destined? Is there a fear that a discovery could be made without the possibility of controling its dissemination?

Happy and prosperous 2025!