A Universal Relic of Christianity: Discover your Destination

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Coria (Extremadura, Spain) preserves a linen cloth that a long-standing tradition identifies as the tablecloth used at the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles.

This Cathedral had become a destination for pilgrimages at least since the Late Middle Ages. This is attested by a bull of Benedict XIII (1405) and another of Eugene IV (1444). In these documents, reference is made to chests containing relics and to a Lignum Crucis that attracted numerous faithful on May 3, the Feast of the Cross.

Although there is no documentary evidence of its provenance, a canonical visitation by Bishop Juan Roco Campofrío (1632–1635) refers to the tradition that the relics were brought from Rome by a bishop. This information could be reconciled either with a transfer prior to the 8th century or, after the reconquest of the city, through the first bishop, Íñigo Navarrón (1142–1152), or his successor, Suero (1157–1168).

Its dimensions are similar to those of the Shroud of Turin: approximately 4.40 x 0.92 cm. It is made of linen, and its fibers are woven in a double herringbone twill forming decorative diamond patterns, with a Z-twist, which suggests a probable Eastern origin. Similar fabrics have been found at Masada, Qumran, Palmyra, and in Egypt. The Shroud of Turin and the Sudarium of Oviedo have the same twist. The blue dye of the bands woven in plain weave is natural indigo, a detail that supports its antiquity: blue (tekhelet) was highly valued by the Jews and considered something celestial and divine.

The bishops of Coria-Cáceres, together with the Cathedral Chapter of the Diocese and the City Council of Coria, have jointly promoted various initiatives to raise awareness of this relic, encourage its veneration, and foster its study from a historical and scientific perspective. To this end, they have also received support from various public institutions at the local, provincial, and regional levels.