Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!seismo!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: tblake@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Thomas Blake) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Jesus' physical appearance Message-ID: Date: 26 Jun 91 04:06:04 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: State University of New York at Binghamton Lines: 25 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu >>In article schiller@src.sony.co.jp (Christoph SCHILLER) writes: >>>[ >>>I recenly found a book in which it was stated that there is an >>>old tradition that Jesus was born with a bad leg, had >>>curved shoulders and was in general of ugly appearance. >>> >>>Does anybody have any information on this tradition ? >>>More details, more references, etc? In some publication which was dealing with "The Shroud of Turin", it mentioned that the Russian Orthodox Church's three barred cross developed because the image on the shroud portrays a man with one leg drawn up. (This publication suggested that the Christ had one foot nailed on top of another, and in rigor mortis the leg that was bent to allow this remained bent and slightly drawn up resulting in the appearance of the image on the shroud.) I have no idea whether or not this is a factual account, but following the same theme, it would seem that a crucified body which had been laid out might have "curved shoulders", and the broken nose and facial swelling (supposedly a result of the beating at the hands of the guards) would result in rather an ugly appearance. Tom Blake SUNY-Binghamton