Holy Apostles who wrote about life and teaching of Lord Jesus Christ mentioned nothing about His appearance. The main thing for them was to engrave His spiritual face and teachings.

The Eastern Church has a legend about the Image of the Savior “Not-Made-By-Hands”. According to it, an artist sent by King Abgar of Edessa repeatedly tried to draw the Savior’s image. When Christ, having called the artist, brought His face against the canvas, His image imprinted on it. After King Abgar had received this canvas from his painter he was cured from leprosy.

Since then, this wonderworking image of the Savior has been wide-known in the Eastern Church, and icon duplicates of it have been made. The original Image “Not-Made-By-Hands” is mentioned by ancient Armenian historian Moses Choreazi, Greek historian Evagrius and St. John of Damascus.

The Western Church has a legend about the image of St. Veronica who gave the Savior making His way to Golgotha a towel to wipe His face. The towel saved the imprint of His face which later was found in the West.

It is common practice in the Orthodox Church to depict the Savior on icons and murals. These images do not intend to precisely convey His appearance. They are rather reminders, symbols lifting our thoughts to the One portrayed on them. Looking at the pictures of the Savior, we recollect His life, His love and mercy, His miracles and teachings; we recollect that He, as the omnipresent, abides with us, sees our problems and helps us. This prompts us to pray to Him, “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on us!”

The face of the Savior and His whole body was also engraved on the so-called Shroud of Turin – a long linen cloth in which, according to the legend, the Savior’s body was wrapped after it had been removed from the cross. It was only comparatively recently that the image on the shroud could be seen due to photography, special filters and computer. Reproductions of the Savior’s face made after the Shroud of Turin bear striking resemblance to some of the ancient Byzantine icons (sometimes matching in 45 or 60 points, which, according to expert opinion, cannot be mere coincidence). While studying the Shroud of Turin, experts came to a conclusion that it bears an imprint of a man about 30 years old, 5 feet 11 inches high (181 cm, which is considerably higher than his contemporaries), slim and sturdy build.