ROME - The Turin Shroud, which is one of the most famous relics in the Christian religion, has gone on display at Turin Cathedral for the first time in five years.

 Pope Francis has authorised this latest exhibition in honour of the 200^th anniversary of the birth of St John Bosco, a monk who dedicated his life to educating poor children in underprivileged areas of Turin. The pontiff will view the Shroud as part of an overnight stay in the city, scheduled for June 20 and 21.

 The Turin Shroud holds a particularly important place in Christianity as it is said to be Christ’s burial cloth, with the material showing a faint image of the body of a man. Scientific dating tests conducted in the late 1980s argued that the relic could be a medieval forgery from the 13^th or 14^th century, however opponents argue that these findings could be due to contamination.

 As a result the Shroud is undoubtedly one of the most hotly debated relics in the world. The Church has never claimed that Christ’s body was definitely wrapped in the material, but values its symbolic value.

 "It is not a profession of faith because it is not an object of faith, nor of devotion, but it can help faith," said Cesare Nosiglia, Archbishop of Turin. "Even non-believers will come. It's an occasion that brings everybody together."

 Due to the rarity of exhibitions, the Turin Shroud’s popularity amongst the public has never wavered. Over a million visitors have already booked tickets to view the exhibition before the closing date of June 24, and millions more are expected to flock to Turin over the coming weeks.