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Carlo Borromeo

and the Shroud

When Charles Borromeo

manifested to Duke Emmanuel Philibert

of Savoy the wish to venerate such a rare

and distinguished relic

In 1578, Charles Borromeo manifested his wish to

make a pilgrimage to venerate the Shroud. This was the

opportunity for Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy to

transfer the Shroud from Chambéry to Turin.

This solution went hand in hand with the transfer

of the Duchy of Savoy to Turin. Furthermore, the visit

of an illustrious exponent of the Church, like Cardinal

Charles Borromeo, would consecrate the role of the

House of Savoy as the custodian of the most sacred object.

Therefore, this event established Turin on the map of

catholic pilgrimage.

On September 14

th

, 1578 the Shroud arrived in Turin and it

was held in the old church of Blessed Mary ad Praesepem.

As far as Carlo Borromeo is concerned, some ancient

witnesses define his visit to the Shroud a mere

and deep aspiration.

In Turin, Borromeo viewed for the first time the holy

Cloth, which he scanned with intensity. Afterwards, on

September 12

th

he was present, with some bishops, to

the Exhibition of the Shroud that took place on a stage

erected in front of the ducal Palace.

Borromeo came back in Turin for the Exhibition of the

Shroud on June 13

th

, 14

th

1582. On this occasion, he

delivered a public sermon and also a private one in front

of the young Duke Charles Emmanuel I.

He made one more pilgrimage to the Holy Shroud in

October 1584, shortly before his death ■

the visit of an illustrious

exponent of the Church,

like Cardinal Charles

Borromeo, would

consecrate the role

of the House of Savoy

as the custodian

of the most sacred object

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