Holy Saturday enters the history of the Shroud with the first social display. An extraordinary half-hour veneration, live on TV and on the web, to ask the Lord to “free us from the pandemic”. In front of the cloth that, according to tradition, wrapped the body of Jesus in the Sepulcher is the archbishop of Turin, Monsignor Cesare Nosiglia. Thanks to technology, however, the words of the pontifical custodian of the relic unite the “groan of all humanity” awaiting the Resurrection, which is “the announcement of the victory over death”. According to the organizers, there are a billion people who have united in prayer with the Cathedral of Turin, for over four centuries the city of the precious Linen, “moving Mirror of the Gospel”, observes Monsignor Nosiglia recalling the definition of Pope Paul John II. The Tweet of another Pope, Francis, anticipates the reflection by a few minutes. “This face disfigured by wounds communicates great peace – is Bergoglio’s social message -. His gaze does not seek our eyes but our heart, it is as if he were telling us: trust, do not lose hope; the strength of love of God, the strength of the Risen One overcomes everything “.
“” We turn our gaze to the Man of the Shroud, in which we recognize the features of the Servant of the Lord, which Jesus has accomplished in his Passion “, writes the Pontiff again, anticipating the meditation of Monsignor Nosiglia.” The Shroud helps us to go further the troubled one, to discover that there is a message of death and of life strictly linked, “says the archbishop after entrusting the prayers of the faithful from all over the world to Telo, placing his hands on the casket that holds it. An” opportunity beautiful and important for reflection and prayer “for the president of the Piedmont Region Alberto Cirio, in the Cathedral of Turin with the mask. Beside the governor, spaced out, the mayor Chiara Appendino and the president of the regional council, Stefano Allasia.” The contemplation of the Sacred Shroud, of that suffering face, immediately refers us to the difficult moment we are experiencing – underlines Allasia – and invites us to reflect on the consequences of this pandemic that has on our daily lives. However, with the resurrection of Holy Easter, he also gives us a message of strong hope for all of us and for our future “.
The Pope’s message – This face disfigured by wounds communicates great peace. His gaze does not seek our eyes but our heart, it is as if he were telling us: have confidence, do not lose hope; the strength of God’s love, the strength of the Risen One overcomes everything. #SacraSindone “. Pope Francis wrote it in a tweet, on the day of the extraordinary exhibition of the Holy Shroud wanted by the archbishop of Turin, Monsignor Cesare Nosiglia, during a prayer for Holy Saturday during the coronavirus emergency.
This face disfigured by wounds communicates great peace. His gaze does not seek our eyes but our heart, it is as if he were telling us: have confidence, do not lose hope; the strength of God’s love, the strength of the Risen One wins everything. #SacraSindone pic.twitter.com/NqM4IZ4709
– Pope Francis (@Pontifex_it) April 11, 2020
Millions of followers for the first social show – The Shroud’s extraordinary veneration had millions of followers on social networks. According to the organizers, who are collecting the first data, on Facebook worldwide the event was followed by over a million and a half people, to which must be added 300 thousand contacts on English Facebook and over 400 thousand on Italian Facebook. Youtube numbers, 48 thousand contacts in Italy and 35 thousand in English are also doing well. To these numbers are added those of the websites – including ANSA.it – that broadcast the event live.
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