WHO IS THE MAN OF THE SHROUD?
WERNER BULST, S.J.
DARMSTADT, JUNE 1984
ABSTRACT

The Problem

The Shroud of Turin (=TS) is neither a work of art nor a forgery, but the burial sheet of a crucified man. This is established by the scientifical investigations of the last years.

The real question on the Shroud, however, is not yet resolved by the scientifical investigations. Behind the immense and incomparable brainwork and expenses through almost a century is the question: Who is the Man of the Shroud? Is he Jesus? This is not more a question of natural science. (See Heller, l.c., p. 216).

It is, without doubt, a question of religious interest, but it is itself not yet a religious or theological, but a historical question. To believe in Jesus is a second step. Not even the men who saw an~ hear Jesus himself believed ipso facto in Him. On the other hand, however, the question of the "historical Jesus", in view of the today s exegeses, is highly important.

It is noteworthy that already one of the first scientists who took position on the Turin Shroud, the physiologist Yves Delage, member of the French Academy, correctly distinguished the two questions: Although an agnostic, he was convinced that the Turin Shroud is the burial sheet of Jesus. (Review Scientifique ser.4,17 (1902), p.863).

It it generally known that a documentary proof of the authenticity of the Turin Shroud is not possible. Like frequently in history, we must test the circumstances. A host of scientifically established data and remarkable historical arguments are available.

I. General circumstances

1) The cloth

a) There is no doubt that the Shroud, a linen three-to-one herring-bone twill, can be from the time of Christ. Occidental fabrics of this kind are not known before the 15 century.

b) Unexpectedly, Professor Raes (Ghent, Belgium) detected in the cloth unmistakable traces of cotton of the species Gossypium Herbaceum which is charateristic of the region of Syria. In the Occident cotton never was manifactured in the Middle Ages.

c) A remarkable circumstance point to Palestine. Normally the bodies of the crucified men remained on the cross, -- food for birds of prey. Just in Palestine a crucified must be removed from the cross before sundown (Deut. 21:23). The corpse has been to entombed in graves especially arranged for criminals.

d) The provenence from the region of Jerusalem is approved by the findinq of pollen grains by the Swiss botanist and criminalist Dr.Max Frei (+1982). He was an extraordinary expert in the microbotany of the Mediterranean area. Already in 1938 he had published a work on the botanic geography of Sicily, which is still up-to-date. He identified the pollens of 58 species of plants, of which only 17 grow also in Europe, whereas 45 were found in Jerusalem. The spectrum of these is characteristic for the particular geographic and climatic conditions of Jerusalem. (W.Bulst, The pollen grains on the Shroud of Turin. Shroud Spectrum 1984/10).

2) The question of time

a) Since Constantine I crucifixion was abolished in the Roman Empire. By this we have a probable terminus ad quem, though at times crucifixions occurred, e.g. among the Persians or during the Inquisition..

b) More precisely a period of time can be determined by the carbon-14 test, which probably will be realized before long.

c) Concerning the traces of coins on the Shroud: see pg. 5.

3) Regarding the nationality of the crucified man

Among the innumerable portraits of the hellenistic and Roman time there is no one who represents a man with beard and with sleek shoulder-length hair, parted in the middle. The man of the Shroud can be a Jew.

II. Particular circumstances

Of special importance are some exceptional details in the Passion of Christ, consequences of some extraordinary circumstances. With these the data of the Turin Shroud are to be compared.

1) The crown of thorns, understandable just by the sentence of Pilate -- On the Shroud there are many punctate wounds around the head, which hardly can be explained but by such a crown.

2) The wound in the side of Jesus, who was already dead, and the "blood and water" which came out immediately, an event so extraordinary, that St. John affirms it with emphasis (JN 19:34).

The Man of the Shroud indeed has been pierced in the side and a flow of bloood and serous fluid run out of the wound.

And certainly he was already dead, when he was pierced in the side. Supposing that he was living in that moment, the lungs would have contracted and neither blood nor "water" would have come. (P.Barbet, La Passion ... selon le chirurgien, p.67-68; 147-68. Bulst, Das Grabtuch von Turin, 1959, p.62-64; The Shroud of Turin, 1957, p. 66-70.

3) Jesus has been buried in an honorable manner. Except Palestine hardly one of the crucified men has been buried. Jut in Palestine they haY~been buried according the law, - in a grave, however., arranged for criminals.

4) The man of the Shroud had been buried unwashed, wrapped in a white sheet. This preciesly was the Jewish custom in the special case of a blood-stained body. (The usual former interpretation of St.John's burial report, that the body has been "bandaged," was erroneous). Theologische Realenzyklopadie V (1980), p. 741. Lavoie and other authors: Sindon Nr.30 (1981), p.19-29. Shroud Spectrum 1983/8, p.2-10.

5) A twill, like the Shroud of Turin, was a rare and expensive textile. Joseph of Arimatea was a rich man.

6) Only a man in a high position, like Joseph, could have the access to the Roman governor. The grave, which he himself had prepared, certainly was of a distinguished kind. Indeed the image on the Shroud supposes a grave of the most expensive form in that time in Palestine.

7) The undisturbed image on the Shroud supposes that it lay flatly -- both under and over the body. This is easily explained, if the grave was an arcosoltrough-grave, where the sheet could be supported by the stone ledges of the trough grave. - Such graves (1st to 3rd centuries) have been excavated on the Mount of Olives. (Bagatti-Milik, Gli Scavi del "Dominus flevit." I. La Necropoli del periodo Romano, 1958, fig.23.

As such a grave the Holy the Holy Sepulchre is described by Arculph, a pilgrim of the 7th century. (Geyer, Itinera Hierosolymitana, CSEL 38 (1898), p.229).

8) A most important fact: The man of the Shroud remained only a short time in the sheet -- like Jesus. There are no symptoms of decomposition.

9) The corpse has been separated from the sheet in a singular manner, leaving the blood clots completely on the sheet, whereas commonly the clots of blood in part remain on the skin. (Barbet, p. 44)

10) The blood stained cloth has been preserved, what historically considered, is incomprehensible, -- unless there were exrtraordinary motifs, as in the case of Jesus.

11) An argument as surprising as exciting has been stated recently: The three dimensional image of the Shroud shows something like "buttons" on the eyes. Professor Filas, S.J., Chicago, identified these as coins struck by Pilate in the year 29/30 or 30/31. His thesis is approved by competent numismatists, 1ike Dr.Kindler, director of the museum Haaretz in Tel Aviv. He informed me, that in the eye sockets of a skeleton, recently excavated near the Dead Sea, two denarius of Hadrian were found. From 6 A.D. (the year of the deposition of Archelaus by Augustus) until 66 A.D. only Roman coins were struck in Judea. This is so important that it must be examined, as soon as possible, on the Shroud itself. (Lemonon, Pilate et le Gouvernemet d.l. Judee, Paris, 1981, p. 110.)

III, l: Historical objections

a) The long silence on today's Turin Shroud is explicable:

In the Jewish world of the early Church a bloody burial cloth could not be shown. While everyone saw crucifixions, it was impossible to expose such a shocking cloth.

A cloth of more than 4 meters cannot be preserved but by folding. Therefore whoever saw the Shroud didn't see, eo ipso, the image on the Shroud.

In the furious confrontations on the sacred images in the Orient for many centuries it was obvious to hide a venerated Christ image for a longer time.

b) The Memorandum of Pierre d'Arcis, Bishop of Troyes, from 1389: He asserts the Shroud is a painting. But he never had seen the Shroud!

III, 2: Iconographic arguments

Vignon, Le Saint Suaire, l939, p. 113-39. Wilson, The Turin Shroud, 1978, p.78-103. Pfeiffer, S.J., Shroud Spectrum 1983/9, 1984/10. De la Ferte, L'Art de Byzance, 1982.

a) A simple consideration: The face on the Shroud accords evidently with the unmistakable traditional Christ image, which since the 4th century got his way: in the character, in the proportions and, not infrequently, also in some strange details -- like the swollen left cheek (always the same as on the Shroud). This can not be an accident. The Shroud as a burial cloth cannot depend on an iconographic tradition. Hence the traditional Christ image certainly goes back, by what a way ever, to the Shroud of Turin of today.

b) Since the time of Constantine I, the Christ image began to take the place of the image of the Roman emperor, e.g. in the apse of the basilica.

We are well informed on the practice of production and distribution of these images at that time. An authoritative model was produced, of which copies were made in the whole Empire. (P. Zanker, Provinzielle Kaiserportrats, Bayr. Akademie der Wissenschaften, Munchen, 1983). Since in the image the emperor himself was considered as present, the portrait character, possibly a little idealized or stylized, was regarded as essential. Hence mearly all the preserved images of Roman emperors, mostly busts, has been identified. The nearer to the original model a copy is, the treater, in general, is the accordance.

In a similar way, the astonishing accordance of the traditional Christ image with the face of today's Turin Shroud is to be explained: Probably in the 4th century there must have been produced an authentical model from the face of the Shroud. Hence, like the images of the Roman emperors, the Christ images are unmistakable.

III, 3: The archeiropoieta

Especially must be considered the "acheiropoieta," Christ images, venerated as not made by hands.

All these images go back to the image of Edessa, detected in 544, hidden in a town-gate. It was translated in 944 to Constantinople, there named "The Holy Mandylion." It disappeared in the time of the crusades (1204?). We know it well enough by the numerous copies, which too, not infrequently, were named "acheiropoieta." The many legends about these images in substance accord perfectly: It is an image on a cloth, not made by hands, but effeccted by the moist face of Jesus. (Dobschutz, Christusbilder, 1899, p.137)

Is there, like in many legends, a historical nucleus? The face of Christ on the Turin Shroud accords not only with these images in character, proportions, and some singular details, but it is indeed a cloth, it is evidently an image not made by hands, but caused by the body of a crucified man. (Heller, Report, p. 201-204).

Much is to be said for the identity: It is true that the Edessa image showed only the face, but we know that it lay tetradiplon, i.e. in eight layers in a golden shrine. If the Shroud is folded in such a manner, the face comes precisely in the middle of one of the layers. Wilson found some copies of the Edessa image in that ununsual format. A famous Christ image in the chapel Sancta Sanctorum (Rome, Lateran), already in 753 named "acheiropoieta," confirms it (p.8). Dobschutz, Christus-bilder, p.102-196, 182*, 48**. Grisar, Die romische Kapelle Sancta Sanctorum, 1908. Wilson, l.c., p.86-103. Pfeiffer, Shroud Spectrum 9/10.

The identity is also suggested by an astonishing observation in October 1978: The image on the Shroud, if closely inspected, vanishs. Only by a distance of about 2 meters (or more) the image can be discerned. This is caused by the physical peculiarity of the Shroud. (Schwalbe-Rogers, Physics and Chemistry of the Shroud, p.6). The same impression must have had the emperor and the few select persons who inspected the Mandylion August 16, 844. They saw only a "face," "eyes, . . ." (Symeon Logothetos, Annales, Corp. Scr. Hist. Byz., Bonn 1838, p. 750). In public the Christ image of Edessa was exposed neither in Edessa nor in Constantinople. It was "too holyn, "not to be seen, but to be adored." (Dobschutz, p. 163/4).

The pollens, found on the Shroud by Dr.Frei, accord well with the way Jerusalem - Edessa - Constantinople - France - Italy. (Bulst, Shroud Spectrum, 1984/10).

Annotations: The connection of the Edessa image with the legends about Abgar, king of Edessa, is secondary. In the earlier forms of this legends is mentionad only a letter of Jesus. In a like secondary manner the Roman Veronica image is connected with a wife, named Veronica, who occurs in the Pilate legends.

CONCLUSIONS

1) Doubtless the Shroud is the burial cloth of a crucified man.

2) The question, who is this man, certainly is of religious interest. It is, however, not a religious, but a historical question.

3) Many circumstances, scientifically established, converge that he is Jesus. Rarely in history we have such a convergence.

4) The way of the Shroud from Jerusalem to Europe in the main stations is certain. Detail questions, answered only hypothetically, don't touch the substance of the argumentation.

5) The importance of the Shroud: It is a concrete access to Jesus.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Face of Christ on the silver vase of Emesa, near Edessa,6.century (Louvre, Paris)

Coin of MichaeI III. 842-867 Hagia Sophia, c. 900

In 843 the Holy images, after furious confrontations, defintively were permitted by a synod of Constantinople (Empress Theodora). Qne of the arguments in that controversy was the Christ image of Edessa, "not made by hands." On the occasion of the 1st centenary ("Feast of Orthodoxy") after a war, of which a motif was to obtain that image (943), it was translated to Constantinople.

The face on the Shroud Hagia Sophia, 11th. century Cefalu: cathedral, 1148

Pay attention to the swollen left cheek: It is always the same as on the Shroud.

Left: The Christ image of Edessa was preserved in a shrine, folded in 8 layers. The face alone remained free, but is was covered by a cloth. (Dobschutz, 163-69). If the Turin Shroud is folded in this mode, in one of the fields the face alone is to be seen. Several copies of the "Mandylion" show the face of Christ in this manner: In a horizontal rectangle format which accords with the 8th part of the Turin Shroud. (Wilson, The Turin Shroud, p. 92-103).

Right: The Christ image in the chapel Sancta Sanctorum (Lateran), already in 753 named acheiropoita. The 4th upper part is especially framed by a gold-plated covering. Only the face can be seen, now a copy of the 12th century. This part accords with the 8th part of the Shroud. Behind the metal covering there is an image of the whole figure of Jesus, today not to be seen. Above is a door which was opened in the Holy Week that the Pope could wash the feet of Jesus.

Copy of the Mandylion, 12th century, found by I.Wilson in Gradac, Serbia. (TheTurin Shroud, p. 98-99).

June 14, 1984

Bibliography: La Sindone e la Scienza, II.Congresso Intern., Turin 1978. -- La Sindone, Scienza e Fede. II.Convegno Naz., Bologna 1983. -- U.S. Conference of Research of the Shroud of Turin, Albuquerque 1977. -- Heller-Adler, A chemical investigation of the Shroud of Turin. Can. Soc .for S.J. 14/1981. -- Schwalbe-Rogers (Los Alamos National Laboratory), Physics and Chemistry of the Turin Shroud Analytica Chimica Acta 135 (1982). -- J.H.Heller, Report on the Turin Shroud, Boston 1983. -- PierreBarbet, La Passion ... selon le chirurgien, 1950. -- Werner Bulst, The Shroud of Turin, Milwaukee 1957. -- Das Grabtuch von Turin, Karlsruhe 1978. -- Die neuen forschungen, K.1983

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