Blood, Mystery and Light: Christ Cathedral to Open New Shroud of Turin Museum This Fall

The immersive experience, made in partnership with Othonia, will include replicas of the Shroud, new sacred art, 360-degree theater rooms, interactive exhibits and more. Media are invited to attend a construction blessing ceremony with a preview of the museum's items on display on Sept. 8.

GARDEN GROVE, Calif., Aug. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange is pleased to announce that a museum dedicated to one of the world's most studied artifacts — the Shroud of Turin, believed to be the actual burial shroud of Jesus Christ — is coming to the Christ Cathedral campus this fall.

Spread over 10,000 square feet and featuring a groundbreaking series of 360-degree theater rooms, interactive displays, new sacred art and other exhibits, "The Shroud of Turin: An Immersive Experience" will present compelling information about the artifact, which has been a source of numerous scientific studies and debate for decades. The evangelistic encounter will also tell the story of the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus — and of His ongoing real presence in the Eucharist.

Media are invited to cover a special construction blessing ceremony for the museum presided by Bishop Kevin Vann at 11 a.m. on Sept. 8 inside the Cultural Center. Select items and imagery going into the museum — including a newly commissioned, life-sized bronze statue of Jesus based on what the Shroud of Turin suggests he looked like — will be on display as a preview of what's to come.

"The Shroud of Turin: An Immersive Experience" opens to the public on Nov. 19, 2025. General admission tickets are $20. Seniors and students are $15. The entire experience is estimated to last between 90 minutes and two hours.

The museum will be open seven days a week inside the Richard H. Pickup Cultural Center. The museum's construction and creation were privately funded by generous donors.

For more information and to learn about pre-sale tickets, visit TheShroudExperience.com

"'The Shroud of Turin: An Immersive Experience' at Christ Cathedral will prove to be an encounter with Jesus that's never before been experienced," said Terry McGaughan, president of the Resurrection Center at Christ Cathedral, the nonprofit funding and operating the museum. "This personal encounter with Christ will engage audiences, spark curiosity and encourage contemplation on the spiritual and historical significance of Jesus. Through the Shroud, we draw upon scientific evidence, sacred tradition and doctrines of faith for the visitor to engage in a visual gospel supporting the truth of Jesus and His Resurrection."

"The Shroud of Turin: An Immersive Experience" is being presented in conjunction with Othonia, a Rome-based consortium of Shroud experts affiliated with the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum educational institute.

"Othonia is excited to partner with the Diocese of Orange to realize this immersive museum," said Nora Creech, director of North America for Othonia. "The focus of this experience on the Resurrection and Jesus' ongoing presence in the Eucharist is perfectly paired with the soaring architecture of the Christ Cathedral campus. This will be Othonia's flagship museum, designed to introduce an entirely new audience to the Shroud in an engaging and memorable way and with the ultimate goal of making Jesus known through the Shroud."

MEDIA PREVIEW AND CONSTRUCTION BLESSING DAY DETAILS

What: Media preview day and museum construction blessing with Bishop Kevin Vann for "The Shroud of Turin: An Immersive Experience" at Christ Cathedral. A light reception will follow.

When: 11 a.m., Sept. 8, 2025

RSVP: Bradley Zint, bzint@rcbo.org, (714) 282-6052

Where: Richard H. Pickup Cultural Center at Christ Cathedral, 13280 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove, CA 92840. Click here for a campus map.

Parking: Media are invited to park in the Gift Shop Lot (P7) or Cultural Center Lot (P8). Click here for a campus map.

Visuals: Select items from the museum will be on display as a preview of what's to come, including a newly commissioned bronze statue of Jesus (based on what the Shroud of Turin suggests he looked like), re-created items from the Crucifixion of Jesus, and a Shroud of Turin replica. Attending media will also be able to capture moments of the blessing ceremony with Bishop Kevin Vann. RSVPs are highly encouraged.

Handout Images: Please reach out to Bradley Zint directly (bzint@rcbo.org) for handout images of the museum, which may include conceptual drawings and construction progress.

Livestream: The construction blessing event will be livestreamed on the Diocese of Orange YouTube account, @DioceseOrange

MUSEUM DETAILS AND ARTWORK

Among the treasures of the museum will be two detailed replicas of the Shroud of Turin. Like the actual shroud kept in Turin, Italy, the replicas will be 14 feet by 3 feet. One will be made of cloth, allowing visitors to view the complex array of features in high definition, including the mysterious body image, blood stains, burn marks and water damage. The second replica is a backlit LED version, also replete with an amazing array of details for viewers to study.

Another highlight of the museum will be a newly commissioned 6-foot-tall bronze sculpture of Jesus made by Italian artist Luigi Enzo Mattei, who is also noted for creating the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. The sculpture is a faithful attempt to re-create Jesus' body based on the evidence left on the Shroud of Turin. It relied on calculated measurements and incorporated the injury marks of Christ's Passion and Crucifixion.

ABOUT THE SHROUD OF TURIN

The Shroud of Turin is universally considered to be among the most studied artifacts in the world, and for good reason. It is believed by some to be the actual linen burial cloth placed on the body of Jesus Christ after His Crucifixion, a practice common among the 1st-century Jewish people. Interest in the Shroud is so prolific that there is a name for the formal study of it: sindonology.

However, it is important to note that the Catholic Church has not taken an official position on the Shroud of Turin's authenticity, but recognizes its importance as an object of veneration and reflection. The church acknowledges the ongoing scientific investigation into the Shroud's origins and properties, entrusting scientists with the task of finding satisfactory answers to questions surrounding it. Popes have consistently recognized the Shroud's significance as a powerful image that points to the Passion and death of Jesus, inviting believers to deeper contemplation and conversion.

The original shroud — kept in a state of careful preservation and not currently on display — has been in the formal possession of the Holy See since 1989. Its history prior to 1354 is not well-documented. Its name is derived from its longtime home in Turin, Italy, where it has been since 1578.

It was first photographed by Secondo Pia in 1898, an effort that first uncovered the startling face of a man whose features are consistent with traditional depictions of Jesus of Nazareth.

ABOUT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ORANGE

With 1.3 million Catholics, 58 parishes, six Catholic centers and 36 schools, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange is one of the largest and most diverse faith communities in the United States. The Diocese empowers Catholics across Orange County to have an active life of faith that is integrated and woven into the fabric of their daily lives through the community and sacramental life of the Church. Under the leadership of Bishop Kevin Vann, the Diocese works to establish and support dynamic, vibrant parishes and schools welcoming all to live the Gospel with faith, joy, charity and unity. Christ Cathedral, the spiritual home of the Bishop of Orange, was dedicated in July 2019. Learn more about the Diocese of Orange at www.rcbo.org

ABOUT OTHONIA

Othonia is an international team of specialists dedicated to exploring and sharing the mystery of the Shroud of Turin, rooted within the Science & Faith Institute at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome. Othonia's name — derived from the Greek word for "linen cloths" or "burial cloths" — reflects its mission to invite people to encounter the Shroud through both reason and faith. The Shroud belongs to the undivided Church, and through Othonia, the Shroud — that once bound Jesus' scourged and crucified body — becomes an invitation to unity and dialogue within the broken Body of Christ. The Shroud serves as a profound sign that the Word became flesh. For this reason, the Shroud experience is not only for Lent, when the faithful contemplate Jesus' Passion, Death and Resurrection, but also for when the Incarnation is rejoiced, indeed for every day of the year. The Shroud bears the face of God and is an invitation to constantly gaze upon our Creator — to know Him, to see Him and to realize in each scourge wound how much He loves us. Othonia's flagship museum in Orange County offers an immersive journey into the history, science and spiritual significance of this artifact, blending Shroud research with compelling storytelling to inspire wonder, unity and a deeper relationship with the man of the Shroud.

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SOURCE The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange