Contact: Joe Marino, Conference Chairman, 614-477-1480; Mark Antonacci, Resurrection of the Shroud Foundation, 636-938-3708

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 2, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- International experts on the controversial Shroud of Turin will gather in St. Louis in October to present and discuss the latest discoveries on the burial cloth purported to be the burial shroud of Jesus Christ. The International Conference, called Shroud of Turin: The Controversial Intersection of Faith and Science, will be held October 9-12 at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Chesterfield. This will be the first Shroud Conference held in the United States since 2008.

More than 30 Shroud experts from around the world will be presenting information on the latest discoveries about the Shroud. The experts, or sindonologists, represent such diverse fields as archeology, physics, iconography and theology. Conference chair and sindonologist Joe Marino says, "I'm particularly excited that we have many new presenters since the last USA Conference in 2008."

One of the keynote speakers is Bruno Barberis, Director of the International Center of Sindonology in Turin. Another keynote speaker is St. Louis native The Most Reverend Michael John Sheridan, Bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. Renowned Shroud lecturer, Russ Breault, will begin the conference on Thursday evening. Barrie Schwortz, Official Documenting Photographer for the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) is currently slated to give two presentations.

Other special presenters include historian and attorney Jack Markwardt, biologist and teacher Kelly Kearse, and artist Veronica Piraccini. A complete list of speakers, and the tentative program can be found at the conference website www.stlouisshroudconference.com.

The conference, sponsored by The Resurrection of the Shroud Foundation and the Salt River Production Group, will begin on Thursday evening, October 9 and conclude at noon on Sunday, October 12. The conference is open to anyone with an interest in the Shroud.