Much noise for nothing. By borrowing the title of the famous Shakespearean comedy, we could thus summarize the most widespread reaction among the scholars of the Shroud around the world.
When last July 28 it began to circulate on the net An article by the magazine “Archaeometry” entitled: “Image Formation On The Holy Shroud—A Digital 3D Appros”Signed by Cicero Moraes, a Brazilian 3d designer, 42 years old With a discreet fame in the field of forensic facial reconstruction, nobody suspected that the snow ball would turn, in a week, into an avalanche of discrete size.
Of the Shroud of Turin, the linen sheet which, according to the Christian tradition, would have enveloped the body of Jesus Christ after his burial, we know very much. A few pieces are missing, but a century of very high level scientific studies have given them.
But we still do not know how the imprint on the sheet and dating has been formed, doubts remain significant.
At least until July 28, because the article by Cicero Moraes claims to have, thanks to its three -dimensional designs, the proof that 1
Without taking anything away from the designer of Chapeco, a town in the state of Santa Catarina, his study, to the experts of the branch, immediately appeared a little weak. Yet the echo in the media was very large. How was it possible?
“We are still wondering, but we know that the Shroud theme always attracts – Gian Maria Zaccone, director of the International Center for Studies on the Shroud and Man who for decades has been dealing with the Shroud – confides – Although it is difficult to even understand what the heart of the research really was. There is nothing new. “
Let’s take a small step back. The magazine, presenting Moraes’ study, writes: “This study investigates the origin of the image impressed on the Sacred Shroud of Turin (…) using 3D digital simulations. Through free and open-source software, the parametric modeling of a human body were performed, the simulation of the dynamics of the tissue and the mapping of the contact areas. Two scenarios were compared: the projection of a human model three -dimensional and that of a bas -relief model. bas -relief that with the direct imprint of a real human body, supporting the hypotheses of its origin as a medieval work of art. ” More consistent, that’s all. Perhaps.
The Ansa agency specifies that the designer added in an interview: “such a matrix could have been made of wood, stone or metal and pigmented, or even heated, only in the contact areas, producing the observed imprint”. Hypothesis, again. So? “We are faced with a non-motive, the hypothesis of the formation of the Shroud image by contact with a bas-relief, has long been rejected on the basis of investigations and measures of the physical-chemical characteristics of the image, starting from the results of the Sturp in 1978 . – Zaccone reiterates – Even Professor in Balossino, who is part of our study group and which among the former has applied the computer science to the shy of the Shroud to arrive at three -dimensionality, has not found the banner of the skein. And he did not find it for a very simple reason: the agreement is missing with what emerged in the scientific analyzes on the Shroud image. ” Again. In 1998 John Paul II, on the occasion of his pastoral visit to Turin and Vercelli, well aware of the fundamental role of the sciences said: “The Church urges to face the study of the Shroud without pre -established positions, which give for granted results that are not.”
Whether it is, in fact, the fuss has risen and a reply made itself necessary which, punctual, arrived on August 4 from the custodian of the Shroud, The archbishop of Turin, Mons. Roberto Repole. A rather clear reply on the website of the diocese, which aims not so much to focus on the question of authenticity (or not) of the Shroud, as to ask for respect for the scientific method. “Once again we are witnessing the launch of new ones “revelations “on the Shroud and its mysteries. – writes the Archbishop- (…) The custodian of the Shroud has no reason to enter into the merits of the hypotheses freely formulated by more or less accredited scientists. (…) If you cannot be surprised much of the so much of the clamor that certain “News “, true or likely, new or dated, can arouse in a media circuit that is now global and instantaneous, the concern for the superficiality of certain conclusions remains, which often do not hold to a more careful examination of the work presented. And remains to be reiterated there‘I invite you never to lose sight of the necessary critical attention to what is so easily published. “
Difficult to be clearer. The perplexity of the clamor that arises from a certainly interesting but weak study remains, which already has a series of similar analyzes behind, but already all disavowed or strongly reduced.
“It is not to be surprised – conclude the director of the Center – the interest on the Shroud is enormous and global. You try to do a simple search on Google and the challenge to get to the end of the pages that the search engine offers it on the subject. The Shroud is one of the topics of greatest interest in the field not only religious. It is a shocking image, emotionally very strong, which has, beyond its origin or dating, an indissoluble link with the story However, Christ.
Yeah, why? Sometimes in the simplest questions it is possible to find unexpected answers.
