Animals of the Nativity — The Sheep

Both the sheep and shepherds play a vital part in the Nativity story because of their symbolism. The shepherds at that time would have been of a lowly class and were humble. The shepherds were the first people to be told of Jesus’s birth because he represents God’s lamb the ultimate sacrifice and therefore, no helpless lambs need to die for people’s sins. Sheep feature throughout the bible as they symbolise new life in the Nativity and at Easter.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

The Mouflon sheep, Ovis orientalis orientalis is the ancestor and of which there are two species that all domestic sheep have descended from. Their coats are reddish brown with a light-coloured saddle and dark brown stripes. The rams have striking horns that measure twenty -six to thirty-three inches in length and both rams and even ewes developing roman noses. Historically the mouflon sheep had a large range that spanned across northern and eastern Iraq, Iran, and the Caucasus, where they inhabited the mountain ranges. Additionally, mouflon sheep were previously bred in the Balkans and Crimea peninsula, as well as the Mediterranean islands. Currently, they are about three thousand mouflon sheep left in Cyprus and these form another subspecies.

Originally published at http://theuntamedbeast.uk on December 24, 2022.