A painting was discovered in August in an underground tomb near Iznik, a city in northwestern Turkey renowned in Christian history as the site where the Nicene Creed was adopted in 325 AD.
Pope Leo XIV recently visited the city on his first overseas trip.
At that time, the region was part of the Roman Empire, and it is believed that the tomb in the village of Hisardere dates back to the third century, a period when Christians faced widespread persecution.
The fresco of the “Good Shepherd” depicts a young, beardless Jesus dressed in a toga carrying a goat on his shoulders.
Researchers assert that this is one of the rare instances in Anatolia where Jesus is portrayed with distinctly Roman attributes, as reported by the Associated Press (AP) on Friday.
Before the cross became widely accepted as the universal symbol of Christianity, the image of the “Good Shepherd” played a crucial role in expressing faith, representing divine protection, salvation, and guidance.
Despite its central role in early Christianity, only a few examples of the “Good Shepherd” have been found in Anatolia, with the Hisardere fresco being the best preserved.
The AP was the first media outlet to gain access to the tomb, and the archaeologist leading the investigation, Gulsen Kutbay, described the painting as possibly the “only example of its kind in Anatolia.”
The narrow tomb’s walls and ceiling are adorned with bird and plant motifs. Portraits of nobles, accompanied by slaves, also decorate the walls.
Eren Erten Ertem, an archaeologist from the Iznik Museum, stated that the frescoes depict “a transition from late paganism to early Christianity, portraying the deceased being sent to the afterlife in a positive and appropriate manner.”
The excavation unearthed the skeletons of five individuals, highlighted anthropologist Ruken Zeynep Kose. Due to poor preservation, it was impossible to determine the age of two of them, but the others were two young adults and a six-month-old baby.
Pope Leo XIV visited Iznik last month to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which produced a creed, or statement of faith, that millions of Christians still recite today.
Accompanied by patriarchs and priests from Eastern and Western churches, the pontiff prayed for the reunification of Christians.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented Leo XIV with a tile representing the discovery of the “Good Shepherd” during his visit.
Anatolia has witnessed crucial moments in Christian history: Saint Paul was born in Tarsus, Saint John spent his final years in Ephesus, and the Virgin Mary may have lived her last days near the same city.
