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In the 2001 Discovery Channel special Jesus: The Complete Story, archaeological, forensic and historical scholars pooled their expertise to create what they believe to be a historically accurate model of Jesus Christ, the central figure of Christianity. Instead of being a tall drink-of-water with flowing surfer’s hair and sea-blue eyes the resulting model portrays Jesus as a “swarthy, coarse, vacant-eyed, short-haired man”.

The figure of Jesus has been one of the most recreated icons of the past 2,000 years. As Christianity spread across the globe, different cultures added their own spin. A painting of the last supper that hangs in the Cusco Cathedral in Peru shows Jesus and his disciples dining on guinea pig. In the western world, Jesus is often portrayed as looking European, whereas certain Ethiopian paintings portray him as African.

Odds are that no matter where in this wide world you’re traveling (even in Kyrgyzstan) you will stumble across some sort of Jesus. This week’s ’round the world post is a compilation of images that feature some of the more interesting renditions of one of the world’s most recognized icons.

So put your petty religious differences aside because this week we are taking you on a visual journey of Jesus, ‘Round the World.

If you like our ‘Round the World series, you might enjoy some of the previous themes: swimming, sweaters, mustaches, stairs, chess, foods, silhouettes, outhouses, cemeteries and donkeys.

Click on the thumbnails to view the images. If you’d like to see more work by any of the photographers featured here then follow the link that appears below each photo.

Enjoy.

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