Relic or fake, the The Shroud of Turin

Turin ShroudOn Saturday, April 10th,The Shroud of Turin went on public display for the first time in 10 years after restoration, and drew long lines of visitors. It is expected that two million people, including the Pope will come to see this simple linen cloth that millions of the faithful believe to be Jesus Christ's burial shroud, and many other religious followers dismiss as a medieval forgery.

"Many scholars contest the shroud's authenticity, saying it dates to the Middle Ages, when purported biblical relics -- like splinters from Jesus' cross -- surfaced across Europe. 'The shroud owner said it in 1355 ... the local bishop said it was a forgery and even the pope of that time said it was a fake,' said Antonio Lombatti, a church historian.The Catholic Church's official position regarding the shroud -- Christianity's most famous relic -- is that it's an important tool for faith regardless of its authenticity. The archbishop of Turin, Cardinal Severino Poletto, tells visitors to view the shroud with their hearts rather than their minds."

Relic or fake, the The Shroud of Turin draws a crowd. In the 21st century, like in centuries past, many people need to believe in something, something more than themselves, and in something more than what can be proven by empiricism. So maybe the Turin archbishop point is right? Huh?