The most powerful military religious order of the Middle Ages and their sacred treasure. For a certain period in history, the Knights Templar—the most powerful military religious order of the Middle Ages—secretly guarded the Shroud of Turin. Worshipped in a relentlessly secret manner, and 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, who were known for their expertise in the field of relics. 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. Easy to read and thoroughly researched, this book tracks the Templars 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. Following the Shroud’s pathway through the Middle Ages, Vatican historian Barbara Frale has gone back in time, to the dawn of the Christian era, to provide a new perspective on the controversial relic. The author also includes several photos of the Shroud itself that reveal in startling detail a human face, mysterious writing, and marks of a crucifixion that many have claimed identify it as the true burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth.

The Shroud of Turin is the most important and studied relic in the world. The many scientific studies on the relic until today have failed to provide conclusive answers about the identity of the enveloped man and the dynamics regarding the image impressed therein. This book not only addresses these issues in a scientific and objective manner but also leads the reader through new search paths. In the second edition, besides including some of the most recent findings on the Shroud, the authors follow the many tips and comments received from readers. The Shroud’s dating by means of alternative methods has not been free from controversies, some of which have even implied the non-authenticity of the Shroud’s samples tested. So the authors duly expand Chapter 7 to include the proof of the origin of the samples used in the recent scientific research and also address the provenance and the path of the original sample. Furthermore, a new section contains a personal interview with the authors that is the result of the interesting and praiseworthy work of a Bavarian high school student. Although there are many books on the subject, none contains such a formidable quantity of scientific news and reports. Unique in its genre, this book is a powerful tool for those who want to study the Turin Shroud deeply.

The Shroud of Turin is a linen cloth bearing the faded image of a man who appears to have undergone physical torture consistent with Roman crucifixion. The Shroud is preserved in the St.John Cathedral in Turin, Italy. It is widely believed to have wrapped the body of historical Jesus of Nazareth and has become one of the most perplexing enigmas for the researchers. The author has attempted to explain the scientific causes of the image on the Shroud under the realm of quantum physics. By drawing a plethora of evidences from the alchemical secrets of resuscitating spectral plants out of ashes, the author establishes that material body of organisms, even if consumed to ashes, retain their selfsame form and figure. Even parts of the body like blood, skin etc., are capable of forming the 3D geometrical structure of the host organism in its entirety, which is a quantum hologram in the modern scientific terminology. According to this theory, the Shroud image is an imprint of the Quantum Self. This is the first book on Shroud of Turin by an Indian author, and proposes for the first time, the quantum bio-holographic idea to explain the Shroud image. It also gives re-birth to the forgotten science of palingenesis - the resurrection of spectral images of plants out of ashes. The author has attempted to explain almost all the peculiar characteristics of the Shroud image like photographic negativity, spatial encryption of 3D data, non-directionality and other amazing aspects.

A captivating look into the society of the Knights Templar Brought to you by the author of Freemasons For Dummies, The Templar Code is more than an intriguing cipher or a mysterious symbol – it is the Code by which the Knights Templar lived and died, the Code that bound them together in secrecy, and the Code that inspired them to nearly superhuman feats of courage and endurance. The Templar Code for Dummies reveals the meaning behind the cryptic codes and secret rituals of the medieval brotherhood of warrior monks known as the Knights Templar. This intriguing guide will cover such topics as who the Knights Templar were, how they rose so high and fell so far, and most importantly why there is so much interest in them today. The Templar Code For Dummies will explore myths and theories of Christian history that appear in the Da Vinci Code such as the quest for the Holy Grail, the Catholic Church's relationship with women that are hotly debated now with special emphasis on the Templar connection. It also explores the surprising part the Templars have played in some of the most important historic events of these past seven centuries, including the French Revolution, the birth of groups such as the Freemasons, and even the American Civil War.

All across the continent of Europe, massive stone monuments erected by a prehistoric culture can be found. These megalithic stones, resisting centuries of weathering or assaults by modern men, are all that remain of a society that has been erased by time. Stonehenge is the most familiar of these megalithic monuments, but in fact represents only one of many similar sites. Who were the people who built these monuments? Why were these stones significant to them? Sacred Sites of the Knights Templar examines sacred megalithic sites across the globeùsuch as Stonehenge and Rennes-le-Chateau -- revealing the astronomical significance of these sites as well as the secrets that significance bore to the Knights Templar. This revolutionary book offers a new explanation for two main subjects: The distribution and meaning of the megalithic monuments of Europe, which were constructed to commemorate astronomical events Evidence for a continuing and hidden philosophy based on ancient astronomy maintained in secret by the Knights Templar and in turn by the Freemasons The author offers theories regarding these sitesùtheir meanings, their secrets, their lasting impression on the Western World, and their sacred symbolic influences on Freemasonry throughout history.

In 1988, carbon dating of the world's most famous Christian relic revealed that it was a mediaeval or Renaissance forgery. Yet many questions remained. How could a hoaxer of 500 or more years ago have created an image that appears so astonishingly lifelike when seen in photographic negative? How was such an image formed? And who would have dared fake the Holy Shroud of Jesus? Setting out to answer these questions, Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince discovered that the faker was none other than Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance artist, scientist, inventor - and hoaxer - whose innovations are acknowledged to have been centuries ahead of his time. They also reconstructed Leonardo's secret technique - becoming the first ever to recreate the Shroud image. Now revised and updated, sensationally the new 2006 edition of Turin Shroud presents the long-lost hard evidence to link the Shroud of Turin directly with Leonardo da Vinci. Perhaps this is even his 'confession' to having faked Christianity's most sacred relic, which will astonish both believers and sceptics alike, and present a new challenge to historians of both art and photography.

This book scientifically challenges earlier radiocarbon testing and presents new evidence in determining the Shroud of Turin's true age.

Reveals extracts from secret discussions on dating evidence from the Shroud Science Group, a private, international forum of Shroud researchers Provides a detailed account of the dating evidence revealed by over a hundred years of research Outlines reasons why the 1988 radiocarbon dating test continues to attract criticism from respected scientists Describes a series of innovative flax dating techniques which have recently been used measure the age of Shroud material, producing results that contradict the radiocarbon date

James Becker, New York Times bestselling author of The Templar Archive, returns with a breakneck thriller whisking readers into the shadowy secret chambers of the Knights Templar. Having barely escaping the crosshairs of a deadly cult, Robin Jessop and David Mallory crisscross Europe, seeking to unlock the truth behind a conspiracy unresolved for seven hundred years—the mystery of what has given the enigmatic Templars their unwavering power. Infiltrating the group’s vast archives, Jessop and Mallory make a startling find. An ancient Templar passport hints at a sacred mission: the transportation of a priceless treasure, an artifact of incomprehensible value. Delving through centuries of clues and deception, the two come face-to-face with a secret that could shake Christendom to its core—and cost their own lives along the way.

'Miracles and the Concept of Impossibility' takes a fresh look at the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus. A miracle is inexplicable by the methods of science and thus deemed impossible. I examine the concept of impossibility with primary reference to David Hume’s notion that there is a boundary of probability beyond which the improbable becomes the impossible, calculated at 10150. Physicists have declared that the universe is inevitable and, at the same time, impossible. Its inevitability is obvious, but the mind-boggling improbability that a biocentric universe exists vastly exceeds the probability boundary. If a miracle is defined as an impossibility, the universe is a miracle. The origin of life is just as miraculously impossible because the probability of dead organic molecules evolving into the organic molecules of life is even less than it is for the existence of the universe. ... r> This book also looks at what the Resurrection means in terms of the atonement and the concepts of hell and universal salvation. This is followed by an examination of the evidence for the Resurrection and historical and archaeological reasons for trusting the New Testament. Secular explanations of the Resurrection are examined and pitted against the Christian account in terms of their explanatory scope and power. The last two chapters look at the “silent witness” to the resurrection, the Shroud of Turin bearing the image of a terribly tortured and crucified man. For 125 years, scientists have been unable to discover how the image was imprinted on the cloth; thus, I conclude that it is the “silent witness” to the Resurrection—the authentic Shroud of Jesus Christ.