Imago Christi, A Shroud Interest Group, Inc.
825 E. Marquam Street, P.O. Box 50
Mount Angel, Oregon 97362
Phone/Fax (503) 845-2490
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About the Project
Imago Christi, A Shroud Interest Group, Inc. was organized to research, study, and disseminate information concerning the relic known as The Shroud of Turin. Imago Christi exists for “artistic, educational and scientific purposes". It is a non-profit organization designed to help the public audience learn about the Shroud by facilitating an interest in the humanities.
The project's primary purpose is for further study and research on the Shroud of Turin. The principal staff of Imago Christi, A Shroud Interest Group, Inc., consists of a Board of Directors guided by the rules and procedures of a non-profit organization. The center is staffed by volunteers and is open to public membership. Key consultants include directors and other individuals from Shroud centers established both nationally and internationally and from sindonology scholars.
About the Shroud
A rarely seen copy of the Holy Shroud (1516) which is in the Chiesa di Saint Gommaire at Lier, Belgium is attributed to Albert Durer (1471-1508) . This copy documents the fact that the Shroud had been through a fire at a time and in circumstances unknown. It reproduces only the double mirror series of little burn-holes, visible in the Sacred Cloth today and shown in the photograph above. Some theory is that it probably could have been made by Durer with his famous “camera obscura" -- Durer's device was the early start of the photographic camera. It was a box with a lens at one end and a screen of oiled paper at the other end. Thereby, the image projected by the lens could be traced by the Artist.
SHROUD TAPESTRY
"Christi-Imago" -- Sancta Sindone Tapestry in Vatican Museum
Photograph taken by a Sindonologist
Brief History of Turin Shroud
The remarkable object known as the "Shroud of Turin" has been an historically recorded relic since 1353 when it was documented as being owned by the de Charney family in France.
The Shroud is believed by many to be the actual burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth. History on the Shroud describes this unbleached, herringbone wave, sepia color cloth as 14 feet 3 inches long by 3 feet 7 inches wide. It was wrapped in red silk in a silver chest in the Chapel of the Holy Shroud in the Renaissance Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Turin, Italy. The Chapel was designed by B. Quadri in 1667. Building of the Chapel, was continued (from 1667) and completed to the design of Guarino Guarini (1624-1683). During the exposition of the Shroud, held in May-June 1998, the Shroud was exposed for public viewing in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
Some believe this sacred piece of linen is the same cloth known as the "Mandylion" which has been traced from Jerusalem in 30 A.D. to Constantinople in 1204 only to disappear during the 4th Crusade. Ancient records state it was displayed in Lirey in 1353 when it was in possession of Geoffrey de Charney. Somehow a piece of linen that bore "The Figure of the Lord" was reported seen years earlier by Robert de Clari, a chronicler of the 4th Crusade, in the city of Constantinople in 1203. He recorded that it disappeared when the Byzantine Capital was looted by the Crusaders.
Turin's Treasure
There are various stories and accounts, but de Charney's granddaughter, Marguerite, owned the Shroud and in 1453 gave it to Duke Louis of Savoy. From 1453 the Shroud belonged to the House of Savoy until the death of the exiled King of Italy, Umberto II, on March 18, 1983. In his will the king bequeathed the Shroud to the Vatican. Pope John Paul II requested that "this precious heritage to mankind," remain in Turin. Investigating the Shroud In 1978, using over six tons of scientific equipment, teams of assigned experts began the laborious task of investigation. For five full days, 24 hours a day, each particular group, a total of 32 scientists, did its own testing. Never before had the Shroud of Turin been subjected to such an exhaustive and minute examination by man. (We acknowledge information provided by the Albany Center Turin Shroud). Carbon 14 Controversy On October 13, 1988 the results from the carbon-14 (C-14) test on the Shroud of Turin were announced by Cardinal Anastacio Ballestrero of Turin. The A.D. 1260-1390 dates, suggesting a medieval origin for the cloth, resulted in a considerable stir. Many people, including scientists and researchers feel that there were inconsistencies in the method used and are recommending that another test be done. The investigators today are still looking into its mystery. Among them are art historians, pathologists, Biblical scholars, linguists, chemists, textile experts, physicists, photographic specialists, archaeologists, numismatists, image analysts, authors and writers from every part of the world. GUARINI CHAPEL
Dr. Le Margie viewing the enclosed Shroud in 1995
In 1995 the Guarini Chapel which housed the Shroud since 1994 was under restoration and the Shroud was placed behind the Cathedral’s high altar and protected by bullet proofed glass. Fire in 1997
A fire in April 1, 1997 badly damaged the 500 year old San Giovanni Cathedral where the relic was incased in four layers of bullet proofed glass. Firefighter Mario Trematore hammered thru the glass and rescued the Shroud in the silver box from the burning building. The rebuilding of the Guarini Chapel of the Shroud was undertaken along with new scaffolding around the Cathedral of Saint John.
The Shroud was then placed in security in the residence of Cardinal Salderini, Archbishop of Turin. It was later taken to the Cathedral and carefully examined by a group of experts including textile experts. The Shroud was then sewn on to a white backing cloth for Saturday, April 18th 1998 for viewing by the world media.
Restoration of the Shroud
Restoration and preservation procedures were done on the Shroud on June and July of 2002. Doctor Metchild Flury Lemberg, textile expert and restorer, gave presentations of photographs and videos of the restoration procedure. Because of the fire of 1532 there was considerable accumulation of burn material. Patches and the original cloth backing were removed and replaced with a new backing cloth that was secured to the Shroud around the burn holes of 1532. EVERY PATCH AND DEBRIS WERE SAVED AND LABELED FOR FURTHER RESEARCH.
PAINTINGS AND SCULPTORS
Luigi E. Mattei
“Luigi E. Mattei (Bologna, 1945) is a graphic designer and sculptor former Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts and the National Courses organized by the Ministry of Education for Art School Professors, he is the author of the word “Itertesto” (itertext) a word of the Italian language since 1998. The “Itertesto” quote mark and logos – concerning a new teaching system which is available in the computer version as well as on paper – have been registered which is available world wide. He is a member of the Professional Graphic Magistry for aesthetics and visual communication, has participated in international exhibitions in New York, Philadelphia, Kharhkov,Tokyo, Paris, Basel, Brno, Bologna, Barcelona, Warsaw, St. Louis and Milan. He has held personal shows in Italy, United States, Soviet Union, Germany, Spain, Romania, Great Britain, Israel and Poland. His work appears in more than 70 museums and public galleries”. In 2000 he exhibited his integral sculptor-real reconstruction of the Body of the Man of the Sindon. The original Terracotta model of bronze casting was on display in the Santo Stefano Basilica of Bologna -- It was later displayed in Turin in the Holy Shroud Museum duirng the Ostension from August 12 to October 22, 2000.
Santo Stefano Basilica of Bologna - (photo taken by Joel Rosano-Alvarez 2001)
The work by Luigi E. Mattei is the only complete reconstruction which can be found in this extraordinary venue, as an integral part of the Holy Shroud Exhibit. Photos, biography and information derived from letters dated January 20th , November 2nd , 1999 and August 11th, 2000 to Doctor Le Margie from Professor Mattei.
(Luigi E. Mattei : The Body of the Holy Shroud Man, Italia - 2000)
Face of the Shroud - Oil painting on cloth by Dr. Le Margie
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For more information on Imago Christi Organization, contact
Art Historian/Sindonologist, Michelina M. Le Margie, Ph. D.
at (503) 845-2490, or e-mail IMAGOSHROUD@aol.com
