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

Umberto I and Pia

In 1898, Pia was in his mid-forties. Umberto I was now king of Italy. He was the head of the House of Savoy, the longest continuous dynasty in the history of Europe. He was also, if you listen to what he said and ignore what others said, King of Jerusalem and Armenia, which were parts of the Ottoman Empire.  He was the King of Cyprus, which though somewhat autonomous was for all practical purposes part of the British Empire. He was the Duke of Savoy, now part of France. He was, or so he claimed, the prince or duke of at least 45 other regions or places, some in Italy and some not. He was, according to official proclamations, the Perpetual Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire, which was anything but perpetual. It no longer existed, not even on paper, not even in the minds of anyone.  

The one thing nobody questioned was that Umberto I, as head of the House of Savoy, owned the Holy Shroud. It had been in the family since 1464, when Duke Louis I of Savoy acquired it. If you wanted to see it or display it or photograph it, you needed Umberto’s permission.