Templars Had Nothing to Do with Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin (Holy Shroud), is a piece of linen cloth that bears a faint image of the front and back of a naked man. Because details of the image are consistent with traditional depictions of Jesus after his death by crucifixion, the shroud has been venerated for centuries, especially by Catholics, as Jesus’s actual burial shroud upon which his image was miraculously imprinted.

The documented history of the shroud dates back to 1354, when it appeared out of nowhere and began to be exhibited in the church of Lirey, a village in north-central France. 35 years later, it was denounced as a forgery by the bishop of Troyes (!!).

However, it did not stop the House of Savoy to acquire it (in 1453) and subsequently (in 1578) to move it to Turin (hence its name) where it has remained ever since.

Scientific analysis of the image is inconclusive; while some scientists claim that it was painted using a technique similar to the one employed in the 14th century, others reject these conclusions.

Independent radiocarbon dating tests concluded with 95% confidence that the material dated to 1260–1390 AD.  Which matches the beginning of documented history of the shroud. All of the hypotheses used to challenge the radiocarbon dating have been scientifically refuted… so it is a fake (forgery), plain and simple.

Consequently, none of the three theories of a Templar/Shroud connection is true. The first one contends that Templars acquired the Shroud in 1204, when they and other Latin crusaders sacked Constantinople.

They kept it ever since and in 1307 managed to hide it from the henchmen of French king Philip IV (who were hardly looking for this religious object). In 1354 it was discovered and for some reason moved to abovementioned church.

The variation of this theory claims that the shroud was acquired by Othon de la Roche who subsequently relinquished it to the Knights Templar for unknown reason. It was subsequently taken to France, where the first known keeper of the Turin Shroud had links both to the Templars as well the descendants of Othon.

The third theory is really creative: it claims that the image on the Shroud of Turin is in fact… that of the last Grand Master of the order, Jacques de Molay. The image on the shroud certainly does fit the description of de Molay as depicted in medieval woodcuts – even his six-foot height.

This theory does fit with radiocarbon dating… however, the image on the cloth is definitely of the body of a crucified and whipped man – and de Molay suffered neither (he was never tortured at all). Consequently, this theory is also not true.