Arcadia Discussion Zone

I just watched a rather interesting programme on National Geogrphic about the Shroud of Turin (obviously because of Holy week etc etc!).

The basic scenario was that the Shroud, made in the East, was a 'teaching icon'. Ie not so much a relic, but something constructed to help people understand the faith. Apparently in the early 12th century monks/religious were creating icons showing 'levitation' to show the resurrection (i didnt know this and will research this a bit more. The programme implied there were other icons of this manner).

When the 'icon' fell in to Western hands, the Westeners did not have this tradition of levitation icons - and they mistook it as a relic of the 1st century.

Obviously this programme accepted the Medieval dating of the Shroud by Oxford radio carbon dating. They looked at the 'earlier' evidence - but seem to dismiss these arguments.

They had the obligatory experiments to show how the image could have been created. In this programme the experiments were only of interest if it could be shown that the kind of 3D image found on the Shroud could be replicated.

It was. And it was using items available in the 12th century.

All in all it was a fascinating programme.

levitation
lifted by angels

Magdalene was said when she died to have a similar eye witness report

Check out "Gilbert's Syndrome".

Her body remained but the angels carried her spirit away



The Assumption of Mary Magdalene by Baron Marochetti (1805-1867
the High Altar of The Madeleine in Paris.