About a decade ago I read something like ten books on the Shroud of Turin. It fascinated me. I came to the conclusion that it very likely was the burial cloth of Jesus. My faith does not rest upon this conclusion but I do believe it.

There have been some works based on the Shroud that have sought to bring the face of Jesus to people. Perhaps the most famous is Ariel Agemian’s works is the Face of Christ. Agemian, an Armenian artist who became an American citizen, used the Shroud, as his ‘model’ using forensic imagery.

A few years ago, CNN ran a special called "The Real Face of Jesus" which featured the work of Ray Downing who used the shroud to create Jesus' face using modern technology.

Now, Professor Giulio Fanti of Italy’s University of Padua, who teaches mechanical and thermal measurements, has created the first 3D model of Christ based on the shroud. “We believe that we have the precise image of what Jesus looked like on this earth,” said Fanti, “This statue is the three-dimensional representation in actual size of the Man of the Shroud, created following the precise measurements taken from the cloth in which the body of Christ was wrapped after the crucifixion.”

Fanti said the Man of the Shroud was nearly 5' 11," which was about six inches taller than what is believed to be average height at that time. Fanti called Jesus has a "regal and majestic expression." As far as wounds suffered during the Passion, Fanti counted 370 wounds from the brutal flagellation. Fanti was also able to determine that the man in the Shroud leaned heavily to the right because the right shoulder had been dislocated. “Therefore, we believe that we finally have the precise image of what Jesus looked like on this earth," said Fanti.

I find it fascinating. The images of the Shroud have moved millions throughout the years and will continue to do so.