This is "Report of the 1969 Turin Commission on the Shroud," part #26 of my Turin Shroud Encyclopedia, which will help me write Chapter 14, "Science and the Shroud" of my book in progress, "Shroud of Turin: Burial Sheet of Jesus!" See 06Jul17, 03Jun18, 04Apr22, 13Jul22 & 8 Nov 22. My thanks to Joe Marino who scanned the report into PDFs and emailed them to me. The report is one 1976 document, which includes also the 1973 Turin Commission on the Shroud. I will treat the 1969 and 1973 Commissions separately.
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On 25th March 1969, by letter and subsequent interviews, Cardinal
Michele Pellegrino (r. 1965-77), Archbishop of Turin, with the approval of Pope Paul VI (r. 1963-78) and ex-King Umberto II (r. 1946), established a special
[Right: Cover of the report PDF.]
commission to verify the state of preservation of the Shroud and provisions for its future preservation; and to study the possibility of further examinations and research on the Cloth[JM76, 3, 6; WI79, 64-65; TF06, 1].
Commission members were: Mons. Pietro Caramella - Chairman; Mons. Jose Cottino – Vice-Chairman; Mons. Sergio Baldi - Secretary; and Professors: Silvio Curto, Enzo Delorenzi, Giorgio Frache, Noemi Gabrielli, Giovanni Judica Cordiglia, Camillo Lenti and Enrico Medi – experts; as well as Prof. Luigi Gedda - King Umberto II's personal representative[JM76, 3; WR77, 37; WI79, 65; GV01, 55].
Pietro Caramello (1908 -97) was an Italian priest and Professor of Philosophy[PCW], and the Shroud's actual custodian below the Cardinal[WI79, 65]. Jose Cottino (1913-83) was actually an American, from New Bedford, Massachusetts[AF82, 92; CD84, 37]. Silvio Curto (1919-2015) was Curator of the Egyptian Museum of Turin[GV01, 55; SCW]. Enzo Delorenzi was Head of Radiology at the Mauriziano Hospital in Turin[WI79, 65; GV01, 55]. Giorgio Frache was Director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the University of Modena[GV01, 55]. Noemi Gabrielli (1901-79) was the former Director of the Piedmontese art galleries[BR78, 77; RC99, 74; GV01, 55]. Dr Giovanni Judica Cordiglia (-1980) was a lecturer in Forensic Medicine at the University of Milan[WR77, 37; GV01, 55]. Camillo Lenti was a biochemistry professor. Enrico Medi (1911-74) was a physicist at the University of Rome[WR77, 37]. Luigi Gedda (1902-2000) was an anthropologist[WR77, 37].
The existence and membership of the commission was not officially made public for three years[WI79, 66; BR78, 49], hence it is known as the "Secret Commission"[GV01, 55; TF06, 1]. However leaks to the press had by 1973 revealed the commission's existence and membership[WR77, 37; WI79, 66; SH90, 61; GV01, 55].
On 16 June, Cardinal Pellegrino celebrated the Mass of the Holy Shroud on the altar of the Royal Chapel, facing towards the Royal Palace[JM76, 3; WI79, 64]. Immediately afterwards , in the presence of the members of the to-be-appointed commission, and other dignitaries, the grille of the safe on the altar was opened, with the three keys, one of which was presented by the Archbishop and two by the Palatine Clergy[JM76, 3; JM76, 3; WI79, 64]. The silver casket containing the Shroud was brought down and transported to the adjoining Royal Chapel, which had been equipped for the examination [JM76, 3-4; WI79, 64].
Here the Cardinal Archbishop, having verified the identity of the seals, had the casket opened and the Shroud removed. The Shroud was then placed on the table provided , for the purpose, which was covered with a white cloth. The Palatine Chaplains took turns at watching over the Shroud day and night during the period of the investigation[JM76, 4].
During the examination of the Shroud it was placed on a vertical frame, suitably placed for photography which was to be undertaken by the expert photographer Giovanni Battista Judica Cordiglia (1939-2018), son of Dr Giovanni Judica Cordiglia[WI79, 65-66; CD83, 61; CD85, 31], assisted by Carlo Andrea Filipello[JM76, 4].
The experts then made examinations with the naked eye and with a microscope, by normal light, by Wood's light (ultraviolet) and by infrared light[JM76, 4]. They had lengthy discussions on the data obtained, finally drawing conclusions which, compiled in a separate report, shall be presented to Cardinal Pellegrino[JM76, 4].
On completion of the examinations the Shroud was replaced on the 18 June at 10 am[JM76, 4].
The relic was rolled up again and returned to its silver casket with the seals of the Archbishop and of the Royal Chapel and the casket was replaced on the altar, in the presence of Mons. Francesco Sanmartino, Aitular Archbishop of Summola, Vicar General and Auxiliary of the Archbishop, who signed this report with the witnesses Mons. Caramella and Mons. Cottino, Count Provana, Arch. Chierici and Ragonier. Toncelli[JM76, 4].
After exhaustive discussions the said commission agreed the following conclusions:
1. The shroud was observed to be in in excellent state of preservation, and it is advised that it should, for the time being, be kept in the usual condition (wound on a roll, wrapped in silk, in the established place). Later a method of preservation of the cloth between two panes of glass may be studied, which would also be suitable for future exhibition, as well as following relevant museum experience. Within the scope of such studies the advisability of keeping or substituting the present backing of white cloth will also be examined[JM76, 6].
2. With reference to the second point contained in the previously mentioned letter of the Archbishop, it is felt that research on the famous relic should be conducted along the following lines:
a) Ascertaining at least the probable dating of the cloth and patches, by means of archaeological research and eventually by physical and chemical means[JM76, 6].
b) Ascertaining the various substances present in the marks of a different colour which are to be found on the cloth[JM76, 7].
c) *Weighty [Italian unclear] and separate examinations of the Shroud (with packing cloths - without packing cloths - without the backing cloth - as far as possible, taking into account the conditions laid down by the proprietor)[JM76, 7].
d) Examination of the whole sheet by various optical methods (photography, microphotography, chromatic and spectroscopic analysis) on various bands of different wavelengths, under different angles, both of the source and of the registering apparatus, with precise references to a fixed system of coordinate axes. The construction of suitable equipment will be proposed for this[JM76, 7].
e) Examination of the material itself[JM76, 7].
f) Documentary cinema shots - recording with telecamera and videorecorder[JM76, 7].
g) Equipping a room as a laboratory in the immediate vicinity of the chapel with adequate guard, for the occasion of a new inspection which it is foreseen will take some time[JM76, 7];
3. The separate experts reserve to themselves the right, having personally investigated the problem of the Shroud, to inform the chair of eventual further observations and suggestions that after examination by all the other members of the commission may give place to other proposals[JM76, 7].
4 In conclusion the requests listed below are submitted to the royal owner and the appropriate authorities:
a) The removal of the white backing cloth, that is sewn together with the patches, leaving; the patches themselves intact[JM76, 7].
b) The removal of minimal samples (for microdetermination) for the physical, chemical and textile [Italian "merceological"] examinations etc.
5. The commission takes note of the declaration of Count Umberto di Provana di Collegno, present at the meeting, and of Prof. Luigi Gedda, according to whom His Majesty Umberto II intends that the parts of the backing cloth eventually removed be returned to him. Should the substitution of the said backing cloth be necessary His Majesty will undertake the task[JM76, 8].
6. The commission was unanimously satisfied at having had the possibility of, directly and at length and with all calm, observing the Holy Shroud over two days[JM76, 8].
This allowed and will allow concrete proposals to be made, as those described above, for the development of investigations. The chair will do its best to comply with the requests of the commissioners where they request bibliographical or photographic aid and useful informationk[JM76, 8].
Signed: Mons. Pietro Caramella
Mons. Jose Cottino
Don. Sergio Baldi
Prof. Giorgio Frache
Giovanni Judica Cordiglia
Silvio Curto
Noemi Gabrielli
Camillo Lenti *
Enrico .Medi *
Enzo Delorenzi
Luigi Gedda
* Prof. Camillo Lenti later resigned from the commission for personal reasons.
Prof. Enrico Medi, who had enthusiastically participated in the examination, formulating suggestions and proposals, was prevented from continuing his valuable collaboration by the painful illness which caused his premature death[JM76, 8].
Conclusion. I was preparing a summary of the 1969 Commission for my book, but it is taking too long. So I will make a few observations. Cardinal Pellegrino was criticised for the commission being secret[BR78, 49; WI79, 66] and for not including Shroud experts from beyond Italy[BR78, 49; WI79, 65]. But he was motivated primarily by the urgent need to check on the condition of the Shroud and its ongoing preservation in Turin's polluted industrial atmosphere[WR77, 37; SH81, 59-60]. Also, it would have been an enormous task for Turin's clergy (who had a full-time day job of running a diocese of ~2 million adherents) to organise an international Shroud commission. There were few, if any, internationally known English-speaking Shroud scholars in 1969: Shroud News' first issue was in was in 1980; Shroud Spectrum International's was in 1981 and the BSTS Newsletter's was in 1982 - more than a decade later! Some critics disparaged the number of priests on the Commission[BR78, 49; WI79, 65]. But there were only three: Chairman Caramello, Vice-Chairman Cottino and Secretary Baldi[GV01, 55). And the Chairman, Pietro Caramello (1908-97) was no ordinary priest: he was ordained a priest at age 18, by a special papal dispensation[PCW] so he evidently had a genius IQ! It may be that the "priest" Caramello, the actual Shroud custodian[WI79, 65],was the unsung driving force behind the 1969 and 1973 Commissions. Shroudies should be grateful, as I am, that Cardinal Pellegrino established the 1969 Commission, with its farsighted recommendations, which paved the way for the 1973 Commission and its testing, which started the actual scientifc examination of the Shroud itself!
Notes:
1. This post is copyright. I grant permission to extract or quote from any part of it (but not the whole post), provided the extract or quote includes a reference citing my name, its title, its date, and a hyperlink back to this page. [return]
Bibliography
AF82. Adams, F.O., 1982, "Sindon: A Layman's Guide to the Shroud of Turin," Synergy Books: Tempe AZ.
BR78. Brent, P. & Rolfe, D., 1978, "The Silent Witness: The Mysteries of the Turin Shroud Revealed," Futura Publications: London.
CD83. Crispino, D.C. , 1983, "In Memoriam - Max Frei," Shroud Spectrum International, No. 6, March, 60-61.
CD84. Crispino, D.C., 1984, "In Memoriam: Mons. Jose Cottino," Shroud Spectrum International, No. 10, March, 37-38.
CD85. Crispino, D.C., 1985, "News and Activities Around the Worldi," Shroud Spectrum International, No. 16, September, 30-31.
GV01. Guerrera, V., 2001, "The Shroud of Turin: A Case for Authenticity," TAN: Rockford IL.
JM76. Jepps, M., ed., 1976, "Report of Turin Commission on the Holy Shroud," Turin, Italy.
PCW. "Pietro Caramello," Wikipedia, 24 January 2020.
RC99, Ruffin, C.B., 1999, "The Shroud of Turin: The Most Up-To-Date Analysis of All the Facts Regarding the Church's Controversial Relic," Our Sunday Visitor: Huntington IN.
SH81. Stevenson K.E. & Habermas G.R., 1981, "Verdict on the Shroud: Evidence for the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ," Servant Books: Ann Arbor MI.
SH90. Stevenson, K.E. & Habermas, G.R., 1990, "The Shroud and the Controversy," Thomas Nelson: Nashville TN.
SCW. "Silvio Curto," Wikipedia, 12 February 2023.
TF06. Tribbe, F.C., 2006, "Portrait of Jesus: The Illustrated Story of the Shroud of Turin," Paragon House Publishers: St. Paul MN, Second edition.
WI79. Wilson, I., 1979, "The Shroud of Turin: The Burial Cloth of Jesus?," [1978], Image Books: New York NY, Revised edition.
WR77. Wilcox, R.K., 1977, "Shroud," Macmillan: New York NY.
Posted 13 February 2024. Updated 4 November 2024.
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