"Who Do You Say That I am?"

As you gaze upon my face, in this new millennium, let me tell you about myself ... as others see me... in all my mystery. For many have studied my linen cloth, known as the Shroud of Turin, and have been told much, yet, even still, they are mystified by my image. My body is as it was when I came into the world ... naked and unashamed. Although, my executioners did take away my garments. (John 19:23)

I am a man of Semitic origin, who was crucified in my mid 30's. It is believed that the actual date of my death was April 7th. I am approximately 6 feet tall. My hair was long in the back and loosely plaited to my shoulder-blade area. The x-rayed bones of my hands, and even a few teeth, show clearly that my body was real. My thumbs you cannot see because the 7" spikes, when driven into my wrists, caused my thumbs to reflex into my palms. Interestingly, there are several Byzantine depictions of my cloth showing only my four fingers on each hand, dating back to 1100 A.D., and earlier. I must tell you that the pain from the median nerves in my wrists was so excruciating, especially each time I made the slightest movement to breathe. My feet also show the wounds of large nails.

I hope you will excuse the dirt found on my feet and nose, as well as the dirt and wounds on my knees from a few falls I took prior to my crucifixion. You see, my body went unwashed and unclothed ... for there was not much time for my burial. Traces of aloes and myrrh were found on my cloth, however, which was symbolic in ancient Jewish burials. Also, please pardon the bruise on my right cheek, as I was struck in the face. (Luke 22:64)

I ask you also to please excuse all the marks on my body from the other beatings I endured. The two men, one shorter, one taller, who beat me, used whips that had three leather thongs with pieces of metal at the ends, which tore open my flesh to the muscle. This left the visible marks of the whips used by Roman soldiers in the first century AD. There are also marks on my shoulder area from my having carried a heavy object. According to your forensic scientists, my body was in a state of rigor mortis, but there was no decomposition ... as I was laid out only a short time. Please allow me to add that not one bone of my body was broken. (John 19:32-37)

Please remember that my image on the cloth was so faint, at least until the 19th century, that my features were barely discernible, and, until then, it was thought to be a painting by many. It wasn't until the negative/positive of my image suddenly appeared in 1898, that many eyes, minds, and hearts were shocked back into the reality of miracles. Most of your scientists and scholars now declare that my cloth is NOT a painting, though there will always remain a few doubting Thomas's.

Some ancient scholars attest that my cloth had been washed many times, and even "boiled in oil" ... yet my image remains. It also survived a fire in 1532, which certainly would have caused any paint to crack and dissipate. My image has no outline, no paint, chalk or dyes, no brush strokes, but rather a perfect photo-negative and 3-dimensionality ... which paintings do not. My cloth measures 2 cubits by 8 cubits, by ancient Middle-Eastern standards ... or 14' 3" x 3' 7" by yours. Some limestone dust has been found which correlates to cave tombs in Jerusalem. Some minute oak splinters were found at the back of my head ... in my blood.

Speaking of my blood, I hope you will excuse the flows on my forehead. As with other flows on my body, it all ran down because I died in an upright position. This, in crucifixion, was agonizing as I could only exhale by raising up on my nailed feet. I was slowly not only bleeding to death, but was being asphyxiated as well. To even speak, or cry out in pain was nearly impossible.

According to your scholars, my blood is of the very rare type AB, with only 3.2 percent of your current population having it, most of which is found in the Middle East ... the highest percentage in Northern Palestine. There is also a blood-flow from a wound in my right side chest area which exactly matches the ancient Roman Lancea spear, measuring 4 cm by 1 cm. (John 19:34)

Incidentally, if it is of any importance to you, there is another ancient cloth, smaller (84 x 53 cm) called the "Sudarium Christi", housed in Oviedo, Spain, since the 7th century. It is a head cloth known to ancient Jewish burial customs and contains blood and serum stains. The clotting images are an exact match to that of the back head image of my large cloth, and the blood is also of the same rare AB type. It is now fairly certain that both cloths, at one time, touched my face and head. You might want to refer to your Bible, the book of John, 20:3-7, for further information regarding these cloths. The blood on both cloths contains a high concentration of biliruben, consistent with someone dying a very traumatic death.

Several renowned scientists have recently found small coins over my closed eyes. Letters found on the coins are consistent with that of the Lepton, or "Widow's Mite", minted between 29-32 AD by Pontius Pilate.

Pollens and images of the same flowers have been found in both my large and small cloths. These were noted near my waist and around my head. The pollens and flowers are of the area and origin of the Holy Land, most specifically, Jerusalem. They were found to have grown, and to have been picked in the Spring season. The most interesting of these is the Gundelia tournefortii ... or thorn tumbleweed, which many believe crowned my head, causing the blood on my forehead, head and hair. Aside from my burial, I wonder if anyone ever considered that I may have spent my final night in a garden ... and was buried in one.

Now, as to my image, it is widely believed to have been scorched onto the top fibers of my cloth ... not by heat or vapors ... but by light. The only agreed upon conclusion by your scientists, scholars and physicians is that my image was created by a sudden, powerful burst of radiation light.

There will always be those who will say that this is impossible. Well, it is equally, and obviously, impossible for your scientists to explain away the evidence of my homicide, as well as the fact, that I somehow managed to take a photograph of myself in death. How many average men do you know of who have done this ... especially after being traced back about 2000 years?

It might be of interest for you to notice a perfect "cross" on my face ... horizontally across my eyebrows and vertically down my nose. You will also note a number ... being a "3", which is very significant. Some attribute it to my furrowed brow, causing the blood to flow in this way. However, the possibility remains that this number 3 may represent what is known as the Holy Trinity. In religious terms, as of the moment of this photograph, there came to you yet one more Entity ... The Holy Ghost, or the "Comforter" (John 14:26 and 16:7). This number 3 would not have been noted as a 3 until the first photograph "negative" was taken.

It is written that I spent my short lifetime performing miracles to help people believe in a Higher Power than themselves, and in fulfilling a prophecy already foretold in ancient scriptures. Why would you think that I would not have provided the same evidence and miracles for YOU? There was a Divine reason why my cloths were so carefully hidden and protected for centuries. My Shroud cloth was hidden above a gate in the ancient city of Edessa, Turkey for 600 years after my death ... then known as the Mandylion or The Face Of Edessa. For centuries after my death my facial image was called "Acheiropoietos", which, in Greek meant "not made by hands". The creases or fold marks above and below my face show clearly on my cloth that the Mandylion and/or The Face Of Edessa were and are one in the same, which should prove to you that any carbon-dating results in 1988 (1260-1390 A.D.) were, in fact, inaccurate. There are ancient writings and eyewitness accounts attesting to this, as well as ancient depictions in paintings and icons dating much earlier than the carbon dating results stated.

Do you think my love for you ended with my earthly death? Do you not understand that I had already foreseen your needs in your era? In my earthly life, there were many who saw me, touched me, and heard me ... and still did not believe. Some condemned me to my suffering and my death. As the Light of the world, I left you this photograph, lest you not forget me and my teachings. It was my Light that provided you with this testament ... that I lived and died for you ... through my Resurrection ... the instant of this photograph. I keep my promise that you also will have eternal life. My mystery will go on until the end of days, as I had planned. "I am with you always, even unto the ends of the earth". If this is not so ... then why are you here ... and looking upon my face?

It is not as important that you believe or accept my image evidence, but rather that you believe in Me. For, it still applies that "Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me". (John 14:6)

Do not be anxious that my cloth image may fade, for I shall never fade or go away. "I am the light of the world: He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12) Be assured that the day will come when my arms shall enfold you with all the Love of my Father and your Father. Look around at your world ... which deeply grieves me. The pangs of pain and approaching change are everywhere. Be vigilant in your faith, my child, for I shall soon return to you ... and only then will my image and mystery be truly understood ... and believed ...
 

Love and Peace be unto you.
 

<BGSOUND SRC="breadlfe.mid">