• @baldingpudenda
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    1 year ago

    Check out the vatican position. Basically in 1389 a bishop sent a letter to the antipope that it was just cool art made by an artist. (The antipope was elected by French cardinals because the pope had moved from France back to Rome. "You’re taking what I’ve rightfully stolen! – the French)

    100 years later the Warrior Pope overturned that because that’s how he rolled. (He also chose Julius II because he saw himself as a modern day Julius Ceasar. He grew the church’s power locally and in Europe. Deus vult and all that, but, when you’re god’s representative here on earth, the church’s power and your power are kinda indistinguishable. )

    Around 1900, a story is run on the catholic newspaper reminding everybody that they have the literal cloth jesus was buried in, but church officials were like I’m too busy to respond. Some sister realizes they can make money from merch. The pope: “I’ll allow it”

    Every pope since has taken the position that the shroud is a pretty cool reminder of the suffering, but they don’t say anything about it being authentic. Probably because in the 1970s they carbon dated it to around the time it was found (1300s).

    If I remember correctly, the church doesn’t really like to officially recognize new miracles because they don’t want it to turn out it isn’t a miracle of a crying statue, but just shitty pipes (pun intended)