The Good Shepherd, the Catacombs of Domitilla
With the sheep on his shoulders, the image of the shepherd represents Christ the Savior and a soul that he has saved. The meaning is well explained in the Gospel: Jesus is the shepherd and all his disciples of all times are his sheep, and he knows each of them by name. In the image, you see a shepherd carrying the lost sheep on his shoulders. This image also alludes to the soul’s departure from this world: that is why it is frequently found in frescoes in the catacombs and in the sculpted reliefs on sarcophagi, as well as engraved above tombs.
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