A few days ago, at the Museum of the Shroud of Turin, an exhibition began of four small objects: a Herodian lamp and three unguentaria (ointment bottles) dating from the first century AD, now part of the collections of the Museum of the Shroud of Turin and the Museum of Oriental Art. The exhibition began on 19 April and will continue for the duration of the Exhibition of the Holy Shroud, that is, until 24 June, before returning to its city of origin: Jerusalem. The objects are in fact archaeological finds from the excavations on the Mount of Olives, and represent only a small part of the collection of the Terra Sancta Museum.
The opening presentation was attended by the promoters of this initiative linked to the Holy Shroud; a wish of the Custody of the Holy Land and Association pro Terra Sancta, the exhibition project has become a reality thanks to the contribution of the Consulate of Italy and the Commune of Turin.
The Terra Sancta Museum is moving forward with major restoration works and fitting out of the future sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Museum will recount the history of this extraordinary city and “the roots of Christianity and of this land, because this country has a history in which the Christian presence is evident, like that of Judaism and Islam, but needs to be demonstrated and better known in an organic manner” (Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land, interviewed by the Franciscan Media Center).
Maurizio Baradello, the director of the Exhibition Committee, noted (on the website of the Holy Shroud) that “This is a major initiative that brings Jerusalem and Turin together in a valuable collaboration, with the goal of bringing alive the richness and history of the Holy City″.
