HOLY LINENS

The House of Savoy used to provide copies of the Holy Shroud to the Pope. More copies were also given to distinguished pilgrims who visited Turin. Consequently, there are more than a hundred copies of the Holy Shroud spread around the world: Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Portugal, Czech Republic, Malta, Mexico, Argentina, United States and Canada.

Linens were used in order to make, wrap and protect the Shroud before rolling it up using a wooden cedar roller. Many copies of the Shroud are kept in Spanish churches, convents and shrines. They are copies which date from the 15th century. They were considered relics, so they should have come in contact with the original one of Turin. In that way, the copies would acquire their miraculous properties.

The memory of this contact is commonly reflected on the copies or their documents. Thus, it can be read expressions like ‘Extractum ex originali’, ‘accurate copy from the original one’, ‘copy obtained in a miraculous way’ or ‘true portrait from the original one’.

Allegory of the Holy Shroud and the Virgin (18th century). Brotherhood of María Santísima de Araceli. Lucena (Córdoba).

Copy of the Holy Shroud given by the Pope to the Spanish ambassador in the Vatican, Enrique Guzmán y Rivera, 2nd Count of Olivares (17th century). Basilica of La Caridad, Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz).

Reliquary of the Holy Shroud with the original frame made of ebony and tortoiseshell and silver corner pieces. It was donated to the shrine by the MARCHIONESS OF LOS VÉLEZ, MRS MARÍA OF ARAGÓN, VICEROY OF NAPLES AND SARDINIA. Brotherhood of María Santísima de Araceli. Lucena (Córdoba).

COPIES OF THE HOLY SHROUD IN SPAIN

15th century

• Sant Feliu de Guíxols (Girona), parish church.

16th century

• Noalejo (Jaén), Church of La Asunción.
• Valladolid, Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena.
• Guadalupe (Cáceres), Monastery of Guadalupe.
• Navarrete (La Rioja), parish church.
• Alcoy (Alicante), Convent of Santo Sepulcro.
• Toledo, Convent of Las Comendadoras.
• El Escorial (Madrid). Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
• Porreras (Balearic Islands). Clergy House.

17th century

• Torres de la Alameda (Madrid), Church of La Asunción.
• Logroño, Cathedral of Santa María de la Redondela.
• Castillo de Garcimuñoz (Cuenca), parish church.
• Escamilla (Guadalajara), parish church.
• Silos (Burgos), Abbey of Santo Domingo.
• Campillo de Aragón (Zaragoza), parish church.
• La Cuesta (Soria), Church of Nuestra Señora de los Valles.
• Salamanca, Convent of Las Agustinas.
• Escalona del Prado (Segovia), parish church.
• Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz), Basilica of La Caridad.
• Badolatosa (Seville), parish church.
• Lucena (Córdoba), Shrine of Virgen de Araceli.