Pope says Turin Shroud 'Symbol of Hope'

(02 May 10 - RV) Pope Benedict XVI is in Turin this Sunday to mark the public display of the Holy Shroud, the cloth that tradition holds, was draped around the Crucified Christ as he was laid in the tomb.



The special exposition - which lasts until May 23- has drawn pilgrims from around the world, and this Sunday Pope Benedict joined them on their journey to contemplate the mystery of Our Lord’s Passion.


His first appointment of the day was the celebration of mass with the faithful of the Archdiocese in the central St Charles Square.


He was welcomed by a square overflowing with pilgrims and visitors, with banners carrying messages of support, such as “Benedict, you are Peter, we the young people love you!”


In welcoming the Pope, Mayor Sergio Champarino, recalled the city’s deeply rooted Christian heritage, its many saints, among them St John Bosco, its legacy of solidarity with the poor and the migrant.


In turn, Cardinal Sergio Poletto, the Archbishop of Turin, told the Pope that already two million people have registered to view the Shroud, with a startling 40, 000 people a day passing through the doors of the Cathedral where it is housed.


During his homily Pope Benedict said in the Shroud “we see, our pains mirrored in the sufferings of Christ” and precisely for this reason it is a sign of hope”, because Christ faced the cross to defeat evil, so we could glimpse in his Easter, the anticipation of that moment, when “every tear will be dried and there will be more death, neither sorrow nor crying, nor pain”.


He said the Holy Shroud “reminds us that "He who was crucified, who shared our pain ... is the One who is Risen, and he wants to gather us in his love”.
Reflecting on the Sunday Gospel, John 13, and Christ’s new commandment to love, Pope Benedict said Jesus gave himself as “a model and source of love….a universal love, without limits, able to transform all the negative circumstances and obstacles into opportunities to advance in love”.


He had also had words of encouragement for the priests and religious of the diocese, “who generously dedicate themselves to pastoral work”. “Sometimes, being workers in the vineyard of the Lord can be difficult” he said noting “the commitments are increasing, the demands are many, problems are not lacking”.


He urged them to “know how to draw from your loving relationship with God in daily prayer, the strength to bring the prophetic proclamation of Salvation; Re-centre your life on the essentials of the Gospel; cultivate a real dimension of communion and fraternity within the presbytery, your communities, your relations with the People of God; witness in your ministry the power of love that comes from on High”.

Quoting from the first reading, Acts 14, the Pope urged the people of Turin to remain strong in Faith: “The Christian life, dear brothers and sisters, is not easy, I know that in Turin there are difficulties, problems, concerns: I think, in particular, of those who live their lives in precarious conditions, due to lack of work, uncertainty about the future, physical and moral suffering, I think of families, young people, older people who often live alone, the marginalized, immigrants. Yes, life leads to many difficulties, many problems, but it is the certainty that comes from faith, the certainty that we are not alone, that God loves everyone without distinction and is close to everyone of us with his love, which makes it possible tackle, live and overcome the fatigue of everyday problems”.


He then went on to urge Christian families “to live the Christian dimension of love in simple daily activities, overcoming divisions and misunderstandings in family relationships, to cultivate the faith that makes communion even stronger. The witness of love of which the Gospel speaks to us today must not be lacking even in the rich and varied world of Universities and culture, in the ability to listen carefully and humble dialogue in the pursuit of Truth, certain that it is the same Truth that meets and takes hold of us. I would also encourage the often difficult efforts of those called to administer public affairs: collaboration in pursuit of the common good and make cities more human and liveable is a sign that the Christian concept of man is never against his freedom, but in favour of greater fullness that only finds its fulfilment in a "civilization of love". To everyone, particularly young people, I want to say never lose hope, the hope that comes from the Risen Christ, from God's victory over sin and death”.