The mystery of the Shroud and the Templars explained.
The Order of the Knights Templar was accused for centuries of worshiping the image of a bearded god – now it turned out, that the bearded idol was Jesus Christ, and the mysterious image is nothing but the Shroud of Turin. This conclusion was reached by researcher Barbara Frale from the Vatican Secret Archives. She published the results of her work in the pages of “The Osservatore Romano”. Frale reminded, that the Shroud of Turin was lost during the 1204 year during the Fourth Crusade. It was found only in the mid-fourteenth century – in a church in Lirey, France. What happened to the Shroud for almost 150 Years? Historians have long asked themselves this question. The answer was brought only by the discovery of the Vatican researcher – the notes of a young French, Arnaut Sabbatier, who entered the law of St. 1287 year. It follows from the document, that during initiation the man was taken to “secret place, to which only religious brothers were allowed to enter”. There he was shown “long linen fabric, on which the figure of a man is imprinted” and was ordered to be worshiped by kissing her feet three times. Based on this document, Frale put forward a thesis, that the Templars (Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon) they took the Shroud from Constantinople during the crusade, lest it fall into the hands of heretics, and keep it until the law is dissolved.
The discovery of the Italian researcher confirms the theory, which he first presented in 1978 British historian Ian Wilson.
The Order of the Knights Templar was established in the 11th century after the first crusade. Its task was to protect pilgrims going to the Holy Land. However, when in 1291 When the Kingdom of Jerusalem fell, the Templars were forced to move to Cyprus, and then to France, where their story finally ended.
The French King Philip IV the Beautiful put an end to it. Factory, who envied the knights their wealth and owed them considerable sums of money, imprisoned members of the order and brought them to trial, accusing them of heresy, sacrilege, witchcraft, debauchery and conspiracy with the Saracens.
The Knights Templar were accused of. that their initiation ritual included a threefold denial of Christ, spit on the cross, stripping naked and kissing your supervisor on the buttocks, navel and lips, and then submitting to sodomy.
W 1311 year, after a long process, the council of Vienne decided to dissolve the order. Many knights, m.in. Grand Master Jacques de Molay, burned at the stake.
According to the documents, reached by Frale in 2003 year, then Pope Clement V recognized, that the Templars had committed “heavy sins”, m.in. corruption and debauchery. However, he never agreed with the charge of heresy.
Several dozen years after the dissolution of the order, about a year 1350 year, The Shroud of Turin was found in a church in Lirey, France. He was placed there by the descendants of Geoffroy de Charney, knight of the Knights Templar, who was burned at the stake with the great master.
Over the centuries, the Shroud has been frequently transferred between European churches. In the 16th century, the Dukes of Savoy placed the fabric in Turin. The last king of Italy presented it to the Pope, St. 1983 year.
W 1988 years of study of the Shroud showed, that the fabric may be at most approx 600 Years. However, supporters of the theory of the truth of the Shroud argue, that the canvas sample taken for testing came from parts, which was repaired after one of the fires in the 16th century.
The Vatican has never stated unequivocally, whether the shroud is original, leaving it as “the question of faith”. John Paul II said about him, that that “universal icon of the suffering of the innocent”.
