The Lost Years

History goes quiet. A cloth that might have wrapped a dead body disappears from the record for centuries. When it reappears it is wrapped in new names, new miracles, and new politics. How did a single piece of linen gather so many stories and so much power between the first century and medieval Europe?

In episode two of The Shroud, host Lee Shelton follows the trail through silence and legend. We examine the gap historians call the missing years, weighing early Syriac traditions, Byzantine chronicles, medieval inventories, and the narratives that grew around the Image of Edessa. With scholars, archivists, and liturgical experts on the record, this episode asks whether history, devotion, or invention explains how a cloth becomes a relic.

With insights from Andrea Nicolotti, Reverend Dr. Cris Rogers, David Perry, and Emanuela Marinelli, we ask hard questions:

• What do the earliest noncanonical and Syriac texts say about a cloth or image tied to Jesus?
• Could the Mandylion and the Shroud be two names for the same object folded and retold across centuries?
• How did politics, liturgy, and pilgrimage shape what people believed about a cloth they never saw?

This is where the trail goes cold, and where the work of piecing together story, record, and motive becomes detective work. The questions we raise here will shape everything that follows.

SPONSOR
This series is made possible by our sponsor, GTI Tours. Learn more about experiencing the land of the Bible at gtitours.org/shroud.

For listeners of The Shroud, your trip comes with two exclusive gifts: Journey through Jerusalem, a nine-session teaching series exploring the city through history, archaeology, and Scripture; AND a private evening during your trip set aside just for The Shroud listeners - gathering with local guides over coffee or tea for conversations that bring the Bible to life.

Go to gtitours.org/shroud and select “shroud” in the registration dropdown.

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FEATURED GUESTS

• Andrea Nicolotti - Professor of Christian history and relic studies
• Reverend Dr. Cris Rogers - Anglican Priest
• David Perry - Journalist, Historian and archival researcher
• Emanuela Marinelli - Shroud researcher and author

The Shroud is a production of Compel Studio. ​​Hosted by Lee Shelton. Produced by Lee Shelton and Kathleen Terrill.

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