Christ's shroud to be displayed in Italy

An exhibition displaying the Turin Shroud, the alleged burial cloth of Jesus Christ, will begin on Sunday in Italy.

The relic will be displayed at Turin city's Cathedral. The cloth which is made of herringbone linen, appears to carry the front and back impression of a bearded man with long hair, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

The body imprinted on the 4.42-metre-long and 1.13-metre-wide shroud seems to bear numerous injuries consistent with crucifixion, plus a gash in its side.

Arguments about the relic's authenticity have been raging for decades. Carbon dating tests reported in 1998 in the prestigious research journal 'Nature', showed that the cloth was made between 1260 and 1390, and therefore nothing more than a medieval hoax.

Shroud believers countered with claims that the researchers had mistakenly tested modern inserts on the cloth, and that other tests suggested it contained pollen grains from plants that could only be found in the holy land.

"It's a great event...Every time the shroud is displayed we see an enormous participation -- from the public, the faithful and visitors," Turin Mayor Piero Fassino said, adding that Pope Francis is also expected to visit.