The aim of the course is to provide teachers of the Catholic Religion with the didactic indications to introduce students to the Holy Shroud and the numerous researches that have been carried out around it. The topics will be addressed with a view to identifying appropriate strategies to spark students’ interest, both from a cultural perspective and from the implications for faith, thus stimulating a desire for further study. The course will be taught by professors who are Shroud scholars with decades of experience, including in the field of teaching. Students will also be provided with references to study sources and the necessary teaching tools. Ample time will also be given to answering questions. Some hours will be dedicated to practical proposals, with examples of specific lessons, differentiated for elementary, middle, and high school students.
A first level of knowledge involves reading what is seen on the Shroud. This is followed by the historical and scientific investigations conducted on it, in an attempt to answer questions about its origins: written and iconographic documents that provide clues to its ancient history, known events in modern history, observations of the fabric and its radiocarbon dating, the microtraces present, blood tests, and hypotheses regarding the formation of the image.
A second level of research is the possible identification of the Man of the Shroud with the Jesus of the Gospels, based on a comparison between the forensic analysis of the wounds on his body and the Sacred Scriptures.