Archaeologists discover rare painting of a clean-shaven Jesus
Jesus fresco found in ancient tomb sheds light on early Christianity
- Archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed a significant early Christian fresco depicting Jesus as the "Good Shepherd" with Roman features.
- The painting was discovered in August within a 3rd-century underground tomb near Iznik, a town historically pivotal for the Nicene Creed.
- The fresco portrays a youthful, clean-shaven Jesus in a toga carrying a goat, representing a rare and well-preserved example of Roman-styled Jesus in Anatolia.
- The Good Shepherd motif was a crucial symbol of protection and salvation for early Christians during a period of widespread persecution, predating the widespread adoption of the cross.
- The discovery, which also included the skeletons of five individuals, is seen as illustrating the transition from late paganism to early Christianity in the region.