The Shroud of Turin has returned to public display in Italian city's cathedral on Sunday after a break of five years. The 4.4-metre-long (14-ft) cloth will be on show until 24 June. Some devotees believe the shroud to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. Sceptics point to carbon dating that suggests it is a medieval forgery from the 1300s.
Pope Francis will be among those to view the shroud in a visit on 21 June. The last public viewings were in 2010, when 2.5 million people came to see it.Viewings are free but must be booked. Already one million people have signed up. The Church has not officially claimed that Christ's body was wrapped in the shroud, preferring instead to focus on what it means to those who see it.
Archbishop of Turin Cesare Nosiglia said, "What counts the most is that this shroud... reflects in a clear and precise manner how the gospels describe the passion and death of Jesus. "It is not a profession of faith because it is not an object of faith, nor of devotion, but it can help faith."