Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Church has a long history of venerating relics, which are objects or articles of religious significance, often consisting of the physical remains or personal effects of saints. The Second Council of Nicaea in 787 decreed that every altar should contain a relic, and this remains the norm in Catholic and Orthodox churches today. The authenticity of relics has been a contentious issue for centuries, with many cases of fraud and counterfeit relics being exposed. The Shroud of Turin, a linen cloth associated with the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, is one of the most well-known Catholic relics and has undergone numerous scientific tests, including radiocarbon dating, to determine its authenticity. In 1988, scientists at three separate laboratories dated samples from the Shroud to the range of 1260-1390 CE, suggesting that it is a medieval forgery. However, there have been criticisms of the testing methods and interpretations of the results, and the debate around the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin and other Catholic relics continues.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Catholic relic | Shroud of Turin |
| Type of relic | Linen cloth |
| Religious significance | Believed to be the cloth used in the crucifixion and burial of Jesus |
| Radiocarbon dating results | 1260–1390 CE |
| Location | Turin Cathedral |
| Criticisms of dating results | Small sample size, contamination by handling and bacteria, choice of sample |
| Other dating methods | Vanillin-dating |
| Other relics dated using carbon dating | Tunic of St. Peter, Dalmatic of St. John the Evangelist, Sudarium of Oviedo, Tunic of Argenteuil |
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What You'll Learn
The Shroud of Turin
In 1988, carbon-14 dating of scraps of the cloth was carried out by labs in Oxford, Zurich, and Arizona, which dated the shroud to between 1260 and 1390 CE, with 95% confidence. This range places the shroud's origin in the medieval period, which would rule out its use during the time of Christ. However, there have been criticisms regarding the choice of the sample taken for testing, with some arguing that the tested portion may have been subjected to medieval textile restoration or contamination from handling and display.
In 2013, a new examination by scientists at the University of Padua used fibres from the 1988 tests and concluded that the shroud dated to between 300 BC and 400 CE, potentially placing it within the lifetime of Jesus of Nazareth. This study suggested that the earlier results may have been skewed by contamination from fibres used to repair the cloth after it was damaged by fire in the Middle Ages. However, the official custodian of the shroud, Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin, questioned the authenticity of the materials used in these experiments.
More recently, in 2022, Dr Liberato de Caro of Italy's Institute of Crystallography employed a new technology known as "Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering" (WAXS) to analyse the shroud. This method measures the natural ageing of flax cellulose and found that the shroud best matched a piece of fabric known to be from the siege of Masada, Israel, in 55-74 AD, suggesting an origin around the time of Christ. While this finding has excited those who venerate the relic, de Caro advised caution due to the new date contrasting with the Carbon-14 dating by a significant margin. He suggested that the WAXS analysis should be replicated by other laboratories to confirm the findings.
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The Tunic of Argenteuil
The history of the Tunic of Argenteuil is well-documented, with references to the relic dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries. The earliest mention of the tunic is in a document from 1156, which describes its discovery in a church in Argenteuil. The tunic is believed to have been brought to Argenteuil in the 9th century by Theodred, the daughter of Charlemagne, who was a vicar of the Argenteuil monastery. It is said that the tunic was originally obtained by Charlemagne from Empress Irene of Byzantium as a coronation gift in the year 800.
Carbon dating of the Tunic of Argenteuil has yielded varying results. A carbon-14 test carried out in 2004 dated the tunic to between the end of the 5th century and the first half of the 6th century. However, this result contradicted other scientific examinations and was questioned due to potential contamination by decaying organic elements. A new test conducted a few years later gave a much different time range, dating the tunic to between the end of the 7th century and the end of the 9th century.
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The Sudarium of Oviedo
On March 14, 1075, King Alfonso VI, his sister Doña Urraca, and Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (El Cid) opened the chest containing the Sudarium. A list of the relics in the chest was made, and the Sudarium has been kept in the cathedral at Oviedo ever since.
The carbon dating results of the Sudarium of Oviedo have been a source of debate, with some believing that the tests were inaccurate due to contamination or other factors. The debate surrounding the carbon dating of Catholic relics, such as the Sudarium of Oviedo and the Shroud of Turin, highlights the complexities and challenges of using scientific methods to authenticate religious artefacts.
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The Tilma
One notable feature is the image's durability. For its first 115 years, the Tilma was displayed without protective glass, exposing it to soot, candle wax, incense, and touching. Despite this, the original image has not cracked, flaked, or decayed in over 500 years, while the added paint and gold leaf have deteriorated considerably. There is currently no scientific explanation for its physical and chemical longevity.
Another intriguing aspect is the image's colour. Studies have been unable to determine the origin of the colours used, and it has been claimed, although not proven, that a laser detected the colours floating less than a millimetre above the cloth.
While the Tilma has undergone scientific examination, it is unclear whether it has been carbon dated. A Reddit user expressed interest in the scientific evidence for the Tilma, along with that for the Shroud of Turin, but did not specify the nature of the scientific studies.
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The True Cross
The first witness to the tradition of the True Cross was Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem (c. 350-386). In one of his Catechetical Lectures, dated to around 350, he mentions the spread of pieces of the wood of the True Cross. According to the 1955 Roman Catholic Marian Missal, Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, discovered the True Cross on 14 September 320. Helena's pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 326–28 led to the founding of churches and relief agencies for the poor.
The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches, as well as denominations of the Church of the East, have all claimed to possess relics of the True Cross. Churches across the world claim to have fragments or splinters of the True Cross, but these relics are not often carbon dated. This is because carbon dating is expensive, seen as intrusive and destructive, and may discredit the relics.
In 2016, a relic of the True Cross held by the Waterford Cathedral in Ireland was radiocarbon-dated to the 11th century by Oxford University. Another relic of the True Cross, composed of five separate pieces of cedar wood, has an inscription that has been dated to about 1110. In 2023, two fragments of the True Cross were donated to King Charles III of the United Kingdom as a coronation gift.
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Frequently asked questions
A relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other important religious figure, preserved for veneration.
The veneration of relics is a way to pay respect to a holy person, which in Catholic belief, is a form of honour paid to God. Many miracles have been attributed to relics, and they are often seen as a source of divine power.
One of the most famous Catholic relics is the Shroud of Turin, which is believed to be the burial cloth of Jesus. Other examples include the Sudarium of Oviedo, the Tunic of Argenteuil, and various fragments of the True Cross.
Catholic Canon Law requires relics to be authenticated before they can be publicly venerated. They must be sealed in a reliquary and accompanied by a certificate of authentication signed by an authorised religious authority. Scientific methods such as carbon dating are also used to verify the authenticity of relics.
Yes, carbon dating has been performed on several Catholic relics, most notably the Shroud of Turin. In 1988, tests dated the Shroud to the range of 1260-1390 CE, suggesting it is a medieval forgery. However, there have been debates and criticisms regarding the choice of samples and potential contamination.
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