Visit to the Notre Dame Center of Jerusalem, Part 1

Our day began early because of the approaching sabbath.  After walking through the Old City, we made our way to the Vatican's Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem.  The visit here was our intended destination.

First, we viewed the permanent exhibit on the Shroud of Turin.  Although the exhibit is rather limited, it is thorough in scope.  One can gain an excellent overview of the Shroud's history.  The few pieces of art are simply stunning.

While the Shroud suffers from the same skepticism directed toward most relics, I must say that I regard this one as in a different category.  For one thing, the Shroud has been examined to a degree that other relics have not.  And not all the questions have been answered or refuted.

Of course, faith does not depend on the validity of such relics.  It is the gift of God in Jesus Christ.

What the Shroud does give us is quite a vivid picture of the horrific punishment known as scourging and crucifixion.  Otherwise all we have are written accounts of one of mankind's most cruel afflictions on both the guilty and the innocent.