BENEFICIARY

“The Shroud of Turin: An Immersive Experience” is a landmark museum at the Christ Cathedral campus in Garden Grove, Calif.  It is dedicated to the mystery and study of the Shroud of Turin, which is the world’s most studied artifact and believed by many to be the actual burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth.  The theaters and museum comprise a 10,000-square-foot complex located inside the Richard H. Pickup Cultural Center, which opened in November 2025. The Savoy family, which is currently led by HRH Prince Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, were stewards and custodians of the Shroud for nearly 500 years before donating it to the Vatican in the 20th century. Donations from the Notte di Savoia Los Angeles will help seventh-grade Catholic schoolchildren in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Diocese of Orange experience the Shroud firsthand.

ABOUT THE ROYAL HOUSE OF SAVOY

The Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy http://www.ordinidinasticicasasavoia.it/ are among the oldest orders of Knighthood and Merit in the world. The Savoy Orders are headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and have 36 Delegations worldwide that support the Orders’ ongoing charitable works. Their origins and their principles, traditions and humanitarian goals date back a thousand years. HRH Prince Emmanuele Filiberto di Savoia is Head of the House of Savoy and Grand Master of the Savoy Orders. He is the Duke of Savoy, Prince of Venice, and Prince of Piedmont. Among his hereditary titles is Crown Prince of Italy.

In 1946, when the Kingdom of Italy came to an end, the House of Savoy was the Europe’s oldest reigning dynasty. The heads of the House of Savoy had ruled, first as counts, then as dukes and finally as kings, for almost a thousand years. Descended in the direct male line from a tenth-century vassal of the Holy Roman Emperor, the Savoys ruled the Alpine state of Aosta, as well as Savoy, where they established themselves at Chambery. Their dominion was eventually extended to include Piedmont and other territories in what are now Italy, France and Switzerland. By the eighteenth century, the Savoys were kings of Sicily and then Sardinia, and it was under their aegis that the Italian states were united by 1871.

The Royal Family’s heritage can be seen in castles and palaces, and in the beauty of the northwestern Italian city of Turin, the Savoys' magnificent capital in the heart of Piedmont in the 16th into the 19th centuries. The dynastic chivalric traditions of the House of Savoy continue. The Order of the Annunciation and the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, two of the world's oldest knightly institutions, are still alive today, epitomizing the dynasty's medieval spirit while supporting very modern charitable works in Italy, Switzerland, France, Japan, Canada, the United States and elsewhere. Chivalry lives. Today, the House of Savoy remains one of the oldest royal dynasties.

ABOUT THE SHROUD OF TURIN: AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

The Shroud museum at Christ Cathedral is the largest of its kind the world.  It provides a groundbreaking journey during which guests learn of the Scriptural, historical, art, and scientific aspects of the Shroud of Turin via three 360-degree projection-room theaters, re-created artifacts, interactive kiosks and more. Co-presented by Othonia and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, the experience concludes with the exposition of a full-sized replica of the Shroud of Turin which, approved by the Bishop of Turin.  Since 1578, the actual cloth has been held in the Chapel of the Holy Shroud which is located in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy.  It is rarely put on public display.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION AND DELEGATION OF SAVOY ORDERS

Headquartered in New York City, the American Delegation of Savoy Orders, which includes the United States of America, is among the 36 delegations of the Savoy Orders located throughout Europe, the Americas, and Japan. The Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy are among the oldest orders of chivalry in the world.

As a charitable organization, the American Foundation of Savoy Orders’ mission, history and current grant making strategies are rooted in supporting local, national and international charities focusing in medical, educational and humanitarian assistance fields.