A new claim has reignited debate over one of the most famous religious relics in the world — the Shroud of Turin, which some believe shows the image of Jesus Christ. A scholar now says tests have confirmed that blood found on the cloth is human, sparking fresh controversy about whether the shroud could be real.
The Shroud of Turin is said to be the burial cloth Jesus was wrapped in after the crucifixion, and for centuries it has been at the center of heated debate. While many Christians see it as one of the holiest artifacts, skeptics point out that throughout history, fake relics were often sold or displayed. For example, so many fragments of wood claimed to be from the “true cross” exist that they could build several full crosses.
Dr. Jeremiah Johnston, a biblical scholar, argues that blood tests on the shroud revealed type AB blood, which is relatively rare, found in only about six percent of people. He says the analysis shows the blood came from both before and after death, suggesting it belonged to a man who bled while alive and again after dying. To believers, this could fit the story of Jesus’s crucifixion and burial.
Still, the shroud has long been surrounded by controversy. Earlier scientific studies raise serious doubts. In 1988, carbon dating tests suggested with 95 percent certainty that the cloth was created between 1260 and 1390—over a thousand years after Jesus lived. If those results are accurate, the shroud cannot be the actual burial cloth of Christ.
So while the blood may indeed be human and male, it doesn’t settle the bigger question. Scholars remain divided. Some see it as evidence pointing toward authenticity, while others view it as proof that the relic is a medieval creation rather than a piece of history from the time of Jesus. For now, the Shroud of Turin continues to be one of the most studied, argued over, and mysterious artifacts in religious history.
