Pecora - Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. IX, p. 645

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

PECORA. - Symbol of the soul, it is known from the parable of the Good Shepherd (v.). Gregory of Nyssa addressing the Good Shepherd with the e. on his shoulders

Article illustration — (phot. Pont. comm. arch. sacre) PECORA - Two sheep flanking a tree with birds (the faithful in Paradise). Marble sepulchral slab (late 2nd cent.) - Rome, Catacomb of Praetextatus.

exclaims: "a single little sheep, it is all of human nature that you have taken upon your shoulders" (Hom. 2: PG 44, 801).

This explains why in early Christian art the representation of the Good Shepherd with the sheep on his shoulders or pasturing the flock of the elect is so frequent; as are scenes of orants among sheep, that is, the deceased in beatitude (Wilpert, Pitture, tavv. 75; 116, 2; 168), and also on sepulchral tombstones (G. B. De Rossi, Roma sotterr., II, Roma 1867, tavv. 49-50, n. 14; A. Silvagni, Inscript. Christ. Orbis Romae, nuova serie, II, Roma 1935, n. 4456); or sheep going to quench their thirst (O. Marucchi, Monum. del Museo crist. lateran., Milano 1910, tav. 57, 50). Jesus Christ is the door of the heavenly fold (Io. 10, 7); St. Peter Chrysologus calls his faithful « filioli dominici gregis portio » (Serm., 173: PL 52, 651). The Church constitutes the flock of Christ, entrusted to his pastors; of Sixtus II Damasus affirms that « pastoris meritum numerum gregis ipse tuetur » (A. Ferrua, Epigrammata Damaziana, Città del Vaticano 1942, n. 19); of the bishop Andrew of Formis it will be said that « utque bonus pastor textit ab hoste gregem » (CIL, X, 6218); of Bishop Celsus of Vercelli that he was the « cultor gregis ovium Christi »; of Pope Boniface II that « adunavit divisum pastor ovile » (G. B. De Rossi, Inscript. christ., I, Roma 1857-61, n. 1029); of John II that « commissum tibi pascens bonitate magistra, servasti cunctum sub pietate gregem » (ibid., II, p. 126, 5); of Gregory I: « hoc pastor agebas ut domino offerres plurima lucra gregis » (id., loc. cit., p. 52, 1; 78, 3); of John III that « sibi commissas pascere novit oves » (id., loc. cit., p. 65, 19); Sergius I wrote on the tomb of Leo I that « ne lupus vastet ovile Dei, sed dudum ut pastor magnus Leo septa gregemque christicolam servans, ianitor arcis erat » (id., loc. cit., p. 98, 1). On the fabric donated by Queen Hildegard to the altar of St. Peter in the Vatican one read « Pastor ovile Dei servans », and in the poem placed in the consignatory near St. Michael it was written: « Pastoris summi dextera signat oves » (id., loc. cit., II, 139, 26). In the poem now in the Lateran Museum the « grex sacrate Deo » is commemorated (A. Silvagni, op. cit., I, n. 1485). Enrico Josi