Italian police reveal what Jesus (probably) looked like as a young boy

Many of us recognize Jesus Christ as a grown man with a hefty beard, but police in Italy believe they've figured out what he might have looked like as a kid.

Detectives took the Turin Shroud, believed to show Jesus' image, and created a photo-fit image from the material. They then used a computer program to reverse the aging process. After reducing his jaw size, slimming his face and softening his eyes, they had an image that probably looks a lot like a 12-year-old Jesus would have.

The same technology is used to generate images of wanted criminals after they've been on the run for years, like Bernardo Provenzano who spent more than 40 years evading arrest. The Independent explains that the last-known photo of the Mafia boss was taken in 1959 but police captured him in 2006 after using the same imaging software to create an up-to-date image of him.

But there are some who will likely doubt the authenticity of the image created from the Shroud of Turin. The Catholic Church has never officially said that it believes the shroud shows Jesus.

The Shroud, which is on display for the first time in five years, is expected to draw millions of visitors while being showcased for two months in Turin.