The Linacre Quarterly
Volume 25 | Number 1 Article 13
February 1958 The edicM al Aspects of the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ: From a Study of the Shroud of Turin Robert Bucklin
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Recommended Citation Bucklin, Robert (1958) "The eM dical Aspects of the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ: From a Study of the Shroud of Turin," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 25 : No. 1 , Article 13. Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol25/iss1/13 The many excellent contributions of Catholic physicians to .he journal through the years are too numerous to mention by title b re. The high-principkd presentations are well worth a second study, 1 'JW that we are reaching back over this quarter-century. A revie,, of THE MEDICAL ASPECTS or : HE \ back issues reveals a surprising similarity in problems discussec in �fl!/!I those early .issues and those considered today. The same moral isi 1es CRUCIFIXION OF OUR L. 0 �\\\ . ,/; ;/ apparently ncu:! continued scrutiny. J JESUS CHRIST \\ W No retrc,:,pection of this kind would be complete without a J co \ II// found tribute to those who speak for the Church in matters of med .:o 1 moral consideration. Our Holy Father, Pope Pius XII, has spoker on From a Study of the Shroud 8 r • urin many matters of concern to the medical profession and his words h :ve appeared frequently in THE LINACRE QUARTERLY. Robert Bucklm, M.D., F.A.C.P. And the moral theologians without whose help this journal m. :7ht have become just another pious publication have contributed the n ost O A physician. a study of t?e racy for the last few hours of His outstanding works to be included in the issues. To Father Ge ':lid T Passion and death of Christ life. Kelly, S.J., whose great interest in medico-moral issues promr :ed presents an intriguing considera After the establishment of the his many writings in behalf of the medical profession. THE LINA :RE tion. Unfortunately, relatively fe_w Holy Eucharist with the disciples QuARTERLY expresses the deepest gratitude. His outstanding cor -ri individuals with a medical back at the Cenacle on Thursday eve butions over the past ten years were the "life line" of many iss· es; ground have undertaken this in-· ning. Christ and some of His dis always willing. despite a heavy teaching schedule at -St. Mary's Coll ·ge vestigation. ciples left the city and proceeded in Kansas, he never refused a request for help, either to prepare an A detailed review of the situa in a northeasterly direction to the article or give advice in ·matters of medico-moral import. Our appe tion and events leading to the Pas Garden of Gethsemane, passing ciation knows no bounds. sion and death of Christ are not through the old Fountain Gate in the south end of the city and walk Another good friend, associated during the past five years. is within the scope of thi.s paper. However, it is necessary that a cer ing along the Valley of the Ced Father John J. Lynch, S.J .. whose articles have added great worth to ron. It was in the Garden that the the journal and who, too, gives assistance unstintingly in medico-moral tain amount of background mate rial be presented for general orie Passion really began, and here it is matters. He also has a teaching schedule, at Weston College, in � that Christ suffered the bloody Massachusetts. but we can count on his generous help. tation. To one entering upon this field of research, it is vitally im sweat. Such a phenomenon is ex ceedingly rare but is explained by THE LINACRE QUARTERLY is now serving seventy Catholic Physi portant that there be careful sep� cians' Guilds throughout the United States and Canada and Puerto ration of what is fact from what 1s hemorrhages into the sweat glands occurring at this time, as the result Rico and subscriptions total nearly 9,000. With a rededication of fancy or fiction. There are many . _ of a highly emotional state. The purpose, effort will be put forth to uphold the principles of the positive facts about the Cruc1fix1on amount of blood lost is, of course, Federation of Catholic Physicians' Guilds and continue to publish which are well documented. The unknown, but it can probably be material that will give moral guidance to those who need it to become date for example, has been estab assumed on the basis of events. better Catholics in their practice of medicine. lishe'd �eyond reasonable doubt to which followed that the amount have been April 7, 30 A.D. T�e site of. the Crucifixion was the hill was small. No comment is made named G_olgotha, a short distance in the Scripture about there being _ from the north wall of the city of saturation of garments. Jerusalem. Through a study of t�e Before the party left the Garden New Testament and with the aid of Olives to proceed back to Jeru of archeological revelation, it is salem. Christ was arrested by the · possible to trace the footst�ps of soldiers of the high priest and Christ with a high degree of accu- taken to the courtyard of the home LINACRE QUARTERLY F-EBRUARY, 1958 5 of Caiphas, which ·was located in assumed that the soldiers who i .�r myrrh to serve as a preservative. inted an image of a human body \ the southwest poru n of Jerusa formed t��- nailing and suspen n St. John states in his Gospel that Jwing both frontal and dorsal lem, not far from the Cenacle. of the Victim ·onto the cross ,, :re approximately sixty-five pounds of :ws. · Present also on the cloth Here it is that rbe trial took place experienced in, Jheir duties, nd this preservative were used. Tht. � blood stains, nnrks left by during which time Christ was sub that this portiori dr the process ·as body was laid upon the cloth in a ·e, and some large \:ater stains. jected to a nuwuer of indignities, done ·quickly. linear fashion. and the cloth wa' notographs of the cloth were tak including blow:, about His face. Scripture tells us that Christ ·as folded over the front portion oi a in 1898 by Secondo Pia and in Since the Sanhedrin, the Jewish suspended on the cross for app JX · the body. The arms were placec 931 by Guiseppie Enrie. The governing body, did not have the imately three hours. · and that :le over the chest, rigor mortis havi·1'.1 ·,hotographs of Enrie are remark authority to put the death sentence expired at about 3 o'clock in ·he been broken in order to acco1�1 ,ble in their clarity. and it is a into effect, it was necessary that afternoon. There is reason to Je- - plish this. A narrow band ,v,,� study of these photographs, in Christ be taken to the court of lieve that death occurred n Jre placed around the chin and ov,,r duding life-sized enlargements, Pontius Pilate, the Roman gover quickly than might have been :x the top of the head in order tu which are the basis for the medical nor, in order that the death sen pected. The statements of P; ate keep the jaw in place. The body study of the events of the cruci tence be confirmed. Pilate held would support this conten ti ln, was then transported a short dis- fixion. court at the Antonia which was a when he was asked by the disc1 !es tance to the sepulchre. Whetht:r fortress-like structure at the north the sepulchre was actually a ca, e A consideration of the medical for permission to remove the b Jdy phases of the crucifixion properly end of the Jewish temple. from the cross. Probably not ff 1ch like structure or whether it wa::; a shallow grave is not known. Mv .. begins with a careful examination The events which transpired as thought had been given to ,, hat of the frontal and dorsal imprints was to be done with the body &:ter evidence, however, points to the the result of orders by Pilate are fact that it was in the form of a appearing on the Shroud of Turin . well documented in the Gospe1s. removal from the cross, until the The cause of these imprints has actual time of death. Since the 'ol small chamber slightly over 2 me These included the scourging and ters in its largest dimension. been examined by a number of in the crowning with thorns. At one lowing day was the Sabbath 1nd vestigators, and it tan only be in this particular year was also the· time, either as the result of an at The body lay in the sepulchre stated that at the present time Passover, it was a day which ,vas tempt at courtesy or one of deri for an unknown period of time and there is no clear explanation for doubly holy, and according to the sion, Christ was taken to the pal was gone from the place early on their presence. The imprints out Jewish law no work was permiited ace of Herod Antipas at the re Sunday morning when the burial line the body of an adult male, on that day. The burial of a b,Jdy quest of Pilate. Christ refused t, party returned. At that time only seventy-one inches in height and was considered as labor. The Sab answer any of Herod's questions the wrapping cloths were found in weighing an estimated one-hun bath officially began at sundown and was promptly returned to the the sepulchre. The long linen cloth dred seventy-five pounds. The on Friday. so that it was necessary Antonia. The death sentence hav in which the body was wrapped stiffness of the extremities in their for any burial procedure to be ing been confirmed, crucifixion was has been preserved through the imprints is strongly suggestive that completed prior to that time. ordered. and the Victim was given centuries, and it is this cloth which rigor mortis had taken place. On a portion of His cross to carry. Because of the short period. it is known.today as the "Shroud of the image there are evidences of a The distance actually traversed by was not possible for the disciples Turin." Its history is colorful and number of injuries. Each of these Christ with His cross was approx to perform the usual .burial ritual has been traced in detail by a num injuries has produced a character imately 600 yards. During that which included anointing the body hei; of European authors. On oc istic imprint. Those which reflect · distance. tradition tells us of :oev carefully with warm scented water casion it has been damaged by fire, abrasions and contusions have left eral falls. and as a result bruises and oils before placing it in the and visible on it are several paired imprints which are characteristic and ab�asions were sustained in sepulchre. All that there was time patched, put on to cover holes of this type of injury. Those which various portions of the body. The to do was to wrap the body quick burned in the cloth. There is no have resulted from the outflow of time consumed by the transporting ly in the long linen cloth which serious question about its authen blood from large cavities have left of the cross to Calvary was prcb their imprints in an equally charac was· brought to the scene by Jo· ticity. The Shroud is preserved at ably fairly short. Since crucifixion seph of Arimathea and to place the present time in the Cathedral ter's�ic fashion. This is particular was a common method of carrying within the folds of the cloth and in Turin. Italy. The cloth is re ly true of a large imprint of blood out the death penalty. it can be on the body a mixture of aloes and markable because on it there is im- appearing on the frontal image of 6 7 LrNACRE QuARTERL v FE13RUARY, 1958 the chest. It is immediately appar serve to indicate that ent to the investig there ,ere ator that the either two portion carried by the victim. The ·ng the image on the S persons doing the right wrist. In the region hrnud is in effect a scourging weight of the crosspiece is mirror image or that one sco1 un .. , the left wrist, there is a blood with right and left ,.. ger known but has reversed. changed f?..is_ position from been estimated to ., lain which represents the mark This is easily explained the ight weigh to the left side. as much as eighty pou ds. left by the nail. Th<1t this by the position of the doth The numbr ·· of � mark is above scourge marks is The manner in which the patzbu !,ot in the palm and below the body during particularly i ter is �:asily ascer its ten esting. It was the lum was supported on the bod/ t Jined by simple ure in the sepulchre. Jewish law ,hat measurements the scourging appears fairly definite by examina- taken o The would be limitt :! to : fr in the site of the mark to injuries to the body forty ti on of the imprints can be blows, and, as a ma on the back c: the tips of the fingers. It becomes well divided into .five tt(_: of the image. groups: the habit, the limit was Had the crossbar ber r readily obvious that marks o practicall� set - : the mark is f the scourge; carried over o the nail im at thirty-nine. one sh ulder, it couu not in the center o prints in the Scourging uncle the f the palm, but wrists; the nail marks Roman law, reasonably be expected that it in the wrist. in the feet; as occurred in the The mark left by the the wounds on the case of would have produced a large nail head, and Christ, was unlimited 1 its in the right wrist is covered the wound in the extent. bruise on the shoulder. Since chest. Those who have c0t all by the left hand. The marks of the scourge . 1ted the other bruises appear the scourge-mark images suffered by Chrisr. on the front and on the back of the body Shroud have during His passion have appeared The careful experiments of Dr. and are most variously estirr ated notable over the them as up so distinctly on the Shroud image, Pierre Barbet in Paris have served back. Here to or more than :me they extend from the hundred. : one wonders why there is no evi to prove without doubt that a nail shoulders down as dence passed directly far · as the From an of a bruise on the sh ou'dn. through the palm calves of the legs. examination of thl im On the front of print However, examination of th2 back could not support a body weighing the body of the back, it may be they also appear os in the region of scapulae 175 pounds. There on the sible to draw some the shows is insufficient chest and legs, but there conclusiovs as two tissue is no evi to the structure large areas of bruisinfi. Tht>:se between the metacarpal dence. of marks and manner of of the scourge ap carrying might have been produced by the bones of the palm to adequately pearing o the cross. Most n the arms or of our crossbar support a forearms. religious paintings being supported over the nail, and, as Barbet was From this fact and pictures it may be assumed show upper portion of the back rather able to prove, the nail would quick that the arms Christ carrying His entire were elevated ·over than being balanced on one o ly tear through the soft tissues the cross, supported over sh u) and head at the time of Qne shoulder. the scourg It is highly der. A weight thus supported 1s skin and fail to support the body. ing. The scourging improbable that such was done as a was actually easier to carry, since its A nail, however, placed through preliminary the actual situation. In to the crucifixion, and the weight is divided over a large area. the carpal bones and supported by we first place, if the cross were are told by historians made Another the bones and by that it according to what explanatio n for these the ligaments of was a common event. we are told was b The imple the manner ruises might be the writhing of the wrist was proved adequate to ment used was a of the times, it would whip-like struc have the victim while suspended on the sustain the weight of a body sat ture called been an extremely · heavy a flagrum. It consisted structure, cross. isfactorily. There are some who of two or three variously estimated to thongs, at the ends have feel that the nail was placed high of which weighed nearly three Examination were tied small bits of -hun of imprints left by er than the wrist, between the ra� either bone dred pounds. It is highly th or metal. The imple improb e hands and arms of Our Lord dius and ulna. It is true that such ment was able that anyone could applied to the have car provides a great deal of informa a placing body in ried this weig would' be done easily, such a way as to produce ht· even for six-hun tion, and here again it bleeding dred yards. becomes but it also appears that there is in by ·the metal or bone As a matter of fact. immediately apparent that tearing the since crucifixion the po sufficient space between the radius. skin: The marks, was a common sition of the nails as they appear method as ordinarily and ulna near the wrist to allow a on the Shroud iiuage, clearly of putting victims cleat , depi de to ], cted is subject to some ques nail to enter. The position of the fine the upright portion t the shape of t of the cross. ion. The hands, as they appear he tip of the kno nail still remains a point of minor flagrum. It wn as the stipes, was ma on th is notable that the im per e imprint. show the marks of controversy, although the great prin f neqtly_ in place ts o the scourHe at the point of exe four fingers well. There is, appear in a cution. . It how weight of evidence indicates that sheaf-like fash was a long beam firmly ever, no evidence ion directed down embedded of imprints left it was placed through the carpal ward and media in the ground and ex by the thumbs. lly from the shoul tending The hands are bones, which it separated but did ders. Their up for about eight feet. crossed, appearance wo with the left hand appear not fracture. The oo uld The crossbar· patibulum bl d-stain · on 8 or was the ing on top of the right and c6ver- the left wrist is composed of two , LINACRE QUARTE FEB RLY RuARY, 1958 9 projecting stains which are sepa mediately able to relieve the s ·ain of the calves of the legs on the )n the front of the face, in the rated from one another by approx on his wrists and to direct his dorsal view shows that the righL .)rehead, there are several blood imately a 10 degree angle. This weight toward his feet. By sc do calf has left a well-defined imprint ,.rints .. One of the"e has assumed angulation is an evidence of the ing, he elevates his body to a s ght on which the marks of the scourge:. 'ie appearance of a figure 3. On fact that the body while suspended degree by extension of his :gs. can be well seen. The imprint o, i.e back of the heac., circling the on the cross c1ssumed two different This change in position is of ap the left calf is considerably le�1. . ::alp. is a similar rcw of blood positions in such a way that the proximately 10 degrees and r ad distinct, and this, coupled with th,� \)rints. These were obviously left blood running from the nail hole ily accounts for the divergern : in fact that the left heel is elevatr ' by the crown of thorns. High on in the wrist proceeded in two tne scalp are similar blood stains the streams of blood as they ·ass above the rig ht heel. leads to tk_ slightly divergent streams. This down the wrists and forearm on conclusion that there is some
Lobotomy and similar operations evaluation of the individual case; are morally justifiable when medi ( 5) consultation; ( 6) permissi�n; cally indicated as the proper treat and ( 7) the moral decision. ment of serious mental illness or of intractable pain. In each case 1. THE OPERATIONS the welfare of the patient himself. The first successful psychosurg considered as a person, must be ical operation was performed by the determining factor. These op two Portuguese physicians, Egaz erations are not justifiable when Moniz and Almeida Lima. The op less extreme remedies are reason eration was a prefrontal lobotomy, ably available or in cases in which which consists essentialiy in sev the probability of harm to the pa ering the white nerve . fibers con tient outweighs the hope of benefit necting the frontal lobes of the for him. (Directive 44, Cf. Cana brain with the thalamus. The Por dian Code Art. 41, U. S. Code, tuguese doctors accomplished this "Other Special Directives," n. 2) by making two small holes in the By psychosurgery I mean cere skull, one at each temple, and in bral surgery employed for the pur serting a dull, rounded knife called pose of treating mental illness and a leucotome. Because this opera, pain. In' the booklets on medico tion could not be performed under moral problems there were four direct vision, it is often called a discussions of psychosurgery.1 It "closed" lobotomy; and, because is hardly necessary to incorporate of the instrument used, the opera all that material into the present tion has been designated a leu-' chapter of the revised Medico cotomy. Moral Problems. It seems better lThese were: "Lo botomy," "More to give here merely a commentary about Lobotomy," "Lobotomy for Pain on directive 44, so that all will Relief," .and "Pope Pius XII and Psvcho · � surgery"-which were published in book POSITIVE know its meaning. In this com AND NEGATIVE PHOTOGRAP�S lets I, II. III, and V, respectively. The ;F mentary, I shall say something ori9inal articles are in Hospital Pro{lress: THE SHROUD OF TURIN · about: ( 1) the operations; ( 2) in Dec .. 1948, pp. 427-428; Aug. 1949, pp. (Copyright Redemptorist Fathers, 254-256; Feb., 1950, pp. 56-57; and Feb., Esopus, N. Y.) dications; ( 3) effects; ( 4) medical 1954. p. 66. LIN ACRE QUARTERLY F-EBRUARY, 1958 15