Spirituality

New Turin Shroud study raises more questions than answers

By T.K. Randall
April 4, 2026

Image: Turin Shroud
Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 / Dianelos Georgoudis Believed by many to be the actual burial cloth of Jesus himself, the Turin Shroud - which is today situated in the Chapel of the Holy Shroud at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy - has long been the subject of intense scrutiny, controversy and debate.

A significant number of researchers have made conflicting claims about the Shroud, with some hailing it as authentic and others suggesting that it is either a forgery or not the shroud of Jesus at all.

Back in 2015, a study headed up by Gianni Barcaccia of the University of Padova determined that the shroud may have been created in India - a controversial view at the time.

Now, Barcaccia is back - this time with the results of a new DNA analysis which show that there are traces of a vast number of different plants, animals and people from all over the world on the shroud.While this might seem like a breakthrough, it basically means that it is pretty much impossible to tell for sure exactly where the shroud was made, who might have handled it and when.

For example, the plant DNA samples found on the relic trace back to Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

In other words - the shroud has been in close contact with so many people and locations over the centuries that it is now futile trying to decipher exactly where it was when it was created.

Its true origins, it seems, may be a mystery that might never be solved.

Source: Gizmodo

Tags: Turin Shroud, Jesus