FOR EARLY CHRISTIANS HE IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD, A YOUNG MAN WHO RESEMBLES FIGURES OF MYTHOLOGY
The familiar image comes naturally. It also evades Roman authorities who, it is hoped, will not grasp the Christian reference.
Roman catacombs, third century / zoom
Toward 570 BC / zoom
250-300 A.D / zoom
Hermès carried a ram on his shoulders to protect against disease and Christians used him to present a young, unbearded Jesus, the good shepherd who carried a lamb on his shoulders as he would carry their souls to Heaven. He holds a pail of milk to nourish his people: origin of the Eucharist?
*For Catholics, a sip of wine and a special biscuit represent communion with the body of Christ. The Trinity represents "God in three persons, the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost."
Being surrounded by two sheep emphasized the central figure: Taken up in the European paintings below but not in otherwise similar images from elsewhere, is it the origin of the Trinity?
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When Rome makes Christianity its official religion, Christ becomes a warrior or king. Here Jesus wears the costume of Roman soldiers and emperors' purple cloak :
John 14.6: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. Lion and snake: Psalm 91: Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
The figure becomes Saint Michael slaying the dragon, the combat of Good against Evil.
For its symbolism in France after the defeat
of the working-class insurrection of 1848, please click.
The image becomes that of archaic rulers generally:
Basilica of Santa Pudenziana, Rome, fifth century, tour / zoom
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