Why an Atheist Thinks the Shroud of Turin is the Real Deal

Sister Egeria

Sister Egeria was given a three-day tour of the city by the Bishop of Edessa. We learn from her account of many miracles that saved Edessa from the Persians. And we learn that she was introduced to the legend of Abgar, even shown a copy of Abgar’s letter to Jesus. She wrote lengthy detailed accounts of her visit and we might think that had there been an image bearing cloth, she would have mentioned it. (and put into her hands transcripts of the correspondence of Abgarus and Jesus, with embellishments.

Part of her accounts of her travels, in letters to her sisterhood, survive. "She naïvely supposed that this version was more complete than the shorter letter which she had read in a translation at home, presumably one brought back to the Far West by an earlier pilgrim" (Palmer 1998). Her escorted tour, accompanied by a translator, was thorough; the bishop is quoted: "Now let us go to the gate where the messenger Ananias came in with the letter of which I have been telling you." (Palmer). There was however, no mention of any image reported by Egeria, who spent three days inspecting every corner of Edessa and the environs.

Regardless of how the cloth arrived in Edessa, by 544 the cloth was an important part of Edessa’s history.