It was a crime scene investigation like no other. A man was tortured, beaten, and killed. He was popular with the people, but many in power wanted Him dead. After a mock trial, the powerful had their way. He was given a hasty burial, but now the body has disappeared. Was there a clue left behind? A bloody sheet offers evidence of a horrific execution. Was the body stolen? By whom and why? Did it just vanish? What does the cloth reveal about the disappearance? The Shroud of Turin (Italy) bears the faint front and back image of a bearded crucified man with corresponding bloodstains that match the Gospel accounts of what happened to Jesus. It is the most analyzed artifact in the world yet remains an unsolved mystery. While there are no artistic substances on the linen cloth, the blood is real, and testing corresponds with type AB. The blood has soaked through the cloth; however, the image resides only on the top 1 percent of the surface fibers. Could it be the same Shroud that wrapped Jesus in the tomb? The Shroud poses the ultimate either-or proposition as either the actual burial cloth of Jesus or the product of human effort, as a work of devotional art or a masterful hoax. There is nothing in between. The culmination of a lifetime of research, countless presentations, and ongoing associations with Shroud experts worldwide, Russ Breault's Shroud Encounter--Explore the World's Greatest Unsolved Mystery examines the science, history, and theology surrounding this profound enigma. If proven one day to be authentic, the implications could truly shake the world.

An band of elite Chaos Space Marines from the Alpha Legion undertake a deadly stealth mission to infiltrate a heavily defended Imperial world. Upon the oceanic hive world of Tsadrekha, the darkness of the Noctis Aeterna is held at bay by the golden light of a unique beacon. Yet as sharks are drawn to blood, so the ravening warbands of the Heretic Astartes circle the planet, warring to claim this rich prize for their Dark Gods. Now, one of those warlords has deployed a secret weapon to end the deadlock. Kassar and his elite band of Alpha Legionnaires, the Unsung, must infiltrate the planet, using all their cunning and warrior skill to overcome the planet's defenders and corrupt the beacon. They need to work fast, for none other than Khârn the Betrayer himself has come to lead the final assault. As a rising tide of apocalyptic warfare consumes Tsadrekha, Kassar and his brothers must race for the prize or be consumed by the fury of the storm.

The famed linen cloth preserved in Turin Cathedral has provoked pious devotion, scientific scrutiny, and morbid curiosity. Imprinted with an image many faithful have traditionally believed to be that of the crucified Christ "painted in his own blood," the Shroud remains an object of intense debate and notoriety yet today. In this amply illustrated volume, John Beldon Scott traces the history of the unique relic, focusing especially on the black-marble and gilt-bronze structure Guarino Guarini designed to house and exhibit it. A key Baroque monument, the chapel comprises many unusual architectural features, which Scott identifies and explains, particulary how the chapel's unprecedented geometry and bizarre imagery convey to the viewer the supernatural powers of the object enshrined there. Drawing on early plans and documents, he demonstrates how the architect's design mirrors the Shroud's strange history as well as political aspirations of its owners, the Dukes of Savoy. Exhibiting it ritually, the Savoy prized their relic with its godly vestige as a means to link their dynasty with divine purposes. Guarini, too, promoted this end by fashioning an illusionary world and sacred space that positioned the duke visually so that he appeared close to the Shroud during its ceremonial display. Finally, Scott describes how the additional need for an outdoor stage for the public showing of the relic to the thousands who came to Turin to see it also helped shape the urban plan of the city and its transformation into the Savoyard capital. Exploring the mystique of this enigmatic relic and investigating its architectural and urban history for the first time, Architecture for the Shroud will appeal to anyone curious about the textile, its display, and the architectural settings designed to enhance its veneration and boost the political agenda of the ruling family.

Two decades after radiocarbon dating declared the Turin Shroud a mediaeval fake, brand-new historical discoveries strongly suggest that this famous cloth, with its extraordinary photographic imprint, is genuinely Christ's shroud after all. In 1978 in his international bestseller The Turin Shroud Ian Wilson ignited worldwide public debate with his compelling case endorsing the shroud's authenticity. Now, 30 years later, he has completely rewritten and updated his earlier book to provide fresh evidence to support his original argument. Shroud boldly challenges the current post-radiocarbon dating view - that it is a fake. By arguing his case brilliantly and provocatively, Ian Wilson once more throws the matter into the public arena for further debate and controversy.

The Milky Way has captivated the mind of multitudes ever since the beginning of time. Particularly striking are its apparent dusty gaping voids. With the advent of near-infrared technology, astronomers have discovered an awesome new view of its structure, and of the structure of other galaxies around us. Galaxies are encased within Shrouds of the Night: shrouds or veils of cosmic dust, which have given us a totally incomplete picture of what our majestic Universe actually looks like. In this book, we feature some of the remarkable early photographic work of masters such as Isaac Roberts and Edward Barnard, before presenting to the reader the unmasked (dust penetrated) view of our cosmos, using some of the world’s largest ground and space-based telescopes.

Is the world-famous Shroud of Turin an authentic relic of the Passion and death of Jesus Christ or is it the product of one of the most cunning hoaxes ever perpetrated? In 1978, scientists established that the relic's image was not created by paint, and, in 1988, the relic's fabric was radiocarbon-dated to late-medieval times, a conclusion which was subsequently determined to be unreliable. In this book, Jack Markwardt, an internationally-renowned Turin Shroud historian, discloses and discusses the relic's entire hidden history, from the time of its discovery in Jesus' tomb to the time of its first exhibition in Western Europe, detailing why and how its history became obscured and negating the dubious 1988 radiocarbon-dating results.

The Shroud of Turin is the most important and studied relic in the world. The many scientific studies on the relic until today have failed to provide conclusive answers about the identity of the enveloped man and the dynamics regarding the image impressed therein. This book not only addresses these issues in a scientific and objective manner but also leads the reader through new search paths. In the second edition, besides including some of the most recent findings on the Shroud, the authors follow the many tips and comments received from readers. The Shroud’s dating by means of alternative methods has not been free from controversies, some of which have even implied the non-authenticity of the Shroud’s samples tested. So the authors duly expand Chapter 7 to include the proof of the origin of the samples used in the recent scientific research and also address the provenance and the path of the original sample. Furthermore, a new section contains a personal interview with the authors that is the result of the interesting and praiseworthy work of a Bavarian high school student. Although there are many books on the subject, none contains such a formidable quantity of scientific news and reports. Unique in its genre, this book is a powerful tool for those who want to study the Turin Shroud deeply.