1350 – 1897
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AD
1355
Shroud goes on public display
The Shroud is put on public display at Lirey. A special souvenir, the Cluny Medallion, is struck as a souvenir for pilgrims who come to Lirey to see the Shroud. It depicts the Shroud with the De Charny family Coat of Arms.
1356
Shroud removed from public display
Geoffrey de Charny is killed by the English at the Battle of Poitiers (19th September) as he valiantly defends the King. The Shroud remains in the possession of the family. However, the Bishop of Troyes, Henri de Poitiers, who has jurisdiction over the church at neighbouring Lirey, stops the public exhibition of the Shroud there. Perhaps concerned that pilgrims are spending their money in Lirey instead of funding the rebuilding of his cathedral at Troyes, the Bishop claims without producing evidence that the Shroud is a painting, and not the actual burial shroud of Christ.
1389
The d’Arcis Controversy
Geoffrey de Charny’s son (also called Geoffrey) requests permission from the Pope to once again display the Shroud at Lirey after a long absence. Permission is granted, but the new Bishop of Troyes, Pierre d’Arcis, is furious that the decision has been made without his knowledge. He appeals to King Charles VI of France who orders that the Shroud be moved to Troyes. However, when the bailiff of Troyes arrives at Lirey to seize the Shroud, he is thwarted by the dean, who claims that he doesn’t have the key to the treasury where the Shroud is kept.
Bishop d’Arcis writes to Pope Clement VII at Avignon protesting that the cloth bearing the double imprint of a crucified man is being claimed as the true Shroud in which Jesus’ body was wrapped, attracting crowds of pilgrims.
Historians have unearthed a draft memorandum written by Bishop d’Arcis to Pope Clement VII, although there is no evidence that it was actually sent. In it, the bishop explosively claims that the Dean of Lirey has deceitfully procured a “cunningly painted” cloth with the intention of making money by pretending that it is the burial Shroud of Christ. Furthermore, he claims that his predecessor Bishop Henri located the artist who painted the Shroud, and that it is “a work of human skill and not miraculously wrought or bestowed.”
An extract of the D’Arcis Memorandum is shown below:
“The case, Holy Father, stands thus. Some time since in this diocese of Troyes the Dean of a certain collegiate church, to wit, that of Lirey, falsely and deceitfully, being consumed with the passion of avarice, and not from any motive of devotion but only of gain, procured for his church a certain cloth cunningly painted, upon which by a clever sleight of hand was depicted the twofold image of one man, that is to say, the back and front, he falsely declaring and pretending that this was the actual shroud in which our Saviour Jesus Christ was enfolded in the tomb, and upon which the whole likeness of the Saviour had remained thus impressed together with the wounds which He bore.
This story was put about not only in the kingdom of France, but, so to speak, throughout the world, so that from all parts people came together to view it. And further to attract the multitude so that money might cunningly be wrung from them, pretended miracles were worked, certain men being hired to represent themselves as healed at the moment of the exhibition of the shroud, which all believed to the shroud of our Lord.
The Lord Henry of Poitiers, of pious memory, then Bishop of Troyes, becoming aware of this, and urged by many prudent persons to take action, as indeed was his duty in the exercise of his ordinary jurisdiction, set himself earnestly to work to fathom the truth of this matter. For many theologians and other wise persons declared that this could not be the real shroud of our Lord having the Saviour’s likeness thus imprinted upon it, since the holy Gospel made no mention of any such imprint, while, if it had been true, it was quite unlikely that the holy Evangelists would have omitted to record it, or that the fact should have remained hidden until the present time.
Eventually, after diligent inquiry and examination, he discovered the fraud and how the said cloth had been cunningly painted, the truth being attested by the artist who had painted it, to wit, that it was a work of human skill and not miraculously wrought or bestowed.”
It is interesting that the artist in question was never produced and science would later demonstrate conclusively that the image on the Shroud was not created with paint.
1390
Pope Clement VII allows display of the Shroud
Clement VII writes to Bishop d’Arcis, ordering him to keep silent on the Shroud, under threat of excommunication. On the same day he writes to Geoffrey II de Charny permitting him to display the Shroud but only on condition that clergy do not treat it as a holy relic. The Pope instructs de Charny to clearly remind pilgrims that it is not the actual burial shroud of Christ, but a painting or canvas made to look like it. He later orders that all income generated from pilgrims visiting Lirey be used for the upkeep of the church only.
1398
Death of Geoffrey II de Charny – Ownership passes to his daughter Margaret
1418
Shroud leaves Lirey for safety
Margaret de Charny marries Humbert of Villersexel, Count de la Roche and Lord of St. Hippolyte sur Doubs. During a period of civil war, she protects the Shroud by taking it out of Lirey and moving it to Humberts castle of Montfort near Montbard. Later it is moved again to a chapel in St. Hippolyte sur Doubs. Public viewings of the Shroud take place every Easter Sunday in a meadow on the bank of the River Doubs.
1443
Dean of Lirey requests the return of the Shroud
Five years after the death of her husband, the Dean and canons of Lirey appeal to Margaret de Charny to return the Shroud to them.
1448
Shroud goes on tour!
Margaret de Charny (now known as Mme de la Roche) brings “what is called the Holy Shroud of Our Lord” to Mons. The following year, she exhibits the Shroud at Liege, and in 1452 there is a public showing at the Castle in Germnolles, near Macon.
1453
Ownership of the Shroud passes to the Dukes of Savoy
As the last surviving member of her family, Margaret de Charny gives the Shroud to Duke Lois of Savoy in exchange for a castle and an estate. The Savoy family will own it for the next 500 years.
1457
Margaret de Charny (Mme de la Roche) Excommunicated
Margaret de Charney is excommunicated by the church for failing to return the Shroud to Lirey. Two years later, her half-brother negotiates financial compensation for the loss of the Shroud, and the excommunication is lifted. Margaret dies in 1460.
1502
Shroud moves to Chambéry
The Shroud is moved to the city of Chambéry, which is home to the Savoy family.
A rare colour image of the Shroud as it looked in 1512 has been found in the illustrated prayerbook of Johann von Erlach (1474-1539), the mayor of Bern. In 1512, he travelled on a diplomatic mission to meet Charles III, Duke of Savoy.
1532
Shroud damaged during a fire
Fire sweeps through the chapel where the Shroud is kept. A drop of molten silver from the casket lands on the folded cloth inside, burning through the fabric. When unfolded, the shroud has a pattern of burn marks on both sides, though the image remains largely unscathed. Nuns repair the burned area of the cloth with triangular patches and sew a backing sheet onto the cloth to strengthen it.
1578
Shroud moves to Turin
The Shroud is moved to a new permanent home in the Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista in Turin. In the years that follow, the House of Savoy grows increasingly powerful and eventually becomes the ruling family of Italy. There are also public expositions of the Shroud to mark special occasions and notable anniversaries.
The following links provide further information on this topic
The Turin Shroud: New Facts and a New Historical Theory. Article by Ian Wilson published in BSTS Newsletter No. 88 (December 2018).
The Report of the Poor Clare Nuns. Article by Dorothy Crispino published in Shroud Spectrum International No. 2 (March 1982).
Louis I Duke of Savoy. Article by Dorothy Crispino published in Shroud Spectrum International No. 7 (June 1983).
