The Shroud of Turin has gone on display for the first time in five years.
The 4.3 metre shroud has been put on display this year to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of St John Bosco, whose work in Turin focused on poor youth.
More than a million people from as far afield as Argentina and China are expected to head for Turin in the coming weeks to catch a glimpse of the shroud.
The Catholic Church has not taken a formal position on whether the shroud is authentic.
But Pope Francis is due to visit and pray in front of the relic on June 21 in a private viewing he will attend with his Italian relatives.