The Templars and the shroud of Christ
(Book)

Translation of: I Templari e la sindone di Cristo.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 259-290) and index.

This book tracks the Knights Templar from their inception as warrior-monks protecting religious pilgrims, to the later fascination with their secret rituals and incredible wealth, which ultimately led to their dissolution and the seizing of their assets. For a certain period, the Templars--the most powerful military religious order of the Middle Ages--secretly guarded the Shroud of Turin. Known in its intimate nature by only a handful of the order's officials, the swathe of fabric was kept in the central treasury of the Knights Templar. The precious cloth's history and whereabouts were known only to the highest dignitaries of the secretive order. In an era of widespread doctrinal confusion in much of the Church, the Templars considered the Shroud to be a powerful antidote against the proliferation of heresies. Following the Shroud's pathway through the Middle Ages, Vatican historian Barbara Frale provides a new perspective on the controversial relic.--From publisher description.