The Founding of the Confraternity

On September 18, 2014, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs, Colorado, issued a formal decree establishing a new private association of the Christian faithful, named The American Confraternity of the Holy Shroud (ACHS). The motto of the Confraternity is inspired by John 20:8 where it is reported the Apostle John looked into the Easter Tomb and upon seeing the burial cloths of Jesus "saw and believed." The motto is displayed above. The Confraternity is a sister to the Arch-Confraternity of the Most Holy Shroud which was established in 1597 by a decree of the Archbishop of Turin, Italy, and that has been in existence for more than 400 years. To this day, the Arch-Confraternity is the guardian and curator of the Shroud of Turin and is a model for ACHS. Indeed, ACHS seeks to form an affiliation with the Arch-Confraternity in Turin.

The Framing of the Confraternity

ACHS is a Catholic fellowship of adult men and women dedicated to deepening their Christian faith through the study, understanding and inspiration of the Shroud of Turin as an icon of the Christian faith, representing the Paschal triduum of our Lord Jesus Christ. ACHS promotes understanding of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ and reverence for the Sacrificial Eucharistic Presence of our Lord. Studies of the Shroud are, in general, of a Biblical, Liturgical, Theological, Historical, and Scientific nature. ACHS takes no official stand on the "authenticity" of the Shroud. The judgment of whether the Shroud is the "authentic" burial cloth of Jesus, or only an iconic representation, is for each individual to make based on a consideration of all the evidence. ACHS is dedicated only to the premise that what is currently known and hypothesized concerning the Shroud is an important study for all. Tua Res Agitur - It is a matter that concerns you.

The Confraternity operates under the obedience and loyalty to the Bishop of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Confraternity membership may include a wider range beyond only strictly Catholic persons. Eligibility for membership is of three types: (1) Catholic, (2) Christian Non-Catholic, and (3) Non-Christian.

The Confraternity is based and administered at Saint Gabriel the Archangel Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The intent of the Confraternity is to reach and include persons, not only from the Diocese of Colorado Springs, but also throughout North, Central, and South America, and beyond.

Education on the academic aspects of the Shroud is supported by a partner organization to ACHS, the Turin Shroud Center of Colorado (TSC).