Shroud of Turin expert to visit campus

International expert Russ Breault will deliver the multimedia presentation “Shroud Encounter” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 12, in the Student Union Movie Theater.

President and founder of the Shroud of Turin Education Project Inc., Breault has participated in nearly every international research symposium since the first Shroud of Turin Research Project conference in 1981. He attended both public exhibitions in Turin, Italy, in 1998 and 2000.

The Shroud of Turin is considered one of the most analyzed artifacts in the world, yet its true origin remains a mystery. The 14-foot long linen cloth has been in Turin, Italy, for more than400 years and bears the faint front and back image of a bearded, crucified man with apparent wounds and bloodstains that match the crucifixion account as recorded in the Bible.

For centuries, millions of people have believed it be the actual burial shroud of Jesus. The historical trail tracks back through Italy, France, Asia Minor (Turkey) and may have originated in the Middle East according to botanical evidence.

Breault has been featured in several national documentaries including “Mysteries of the Ancient World” on CBS and most recently the History Channel’s “The Real Face of Jesus?” He has presented at numerous colleges and universities including Duke, West Point and Penn State.

The Religious and Spiritual Life Office and the Multicultural Resource Center are sponsoring this free, public event. More information on the “Shroud Encounter” is online.