Most people would not probably know that the beautiful Melbourne St Paul’s Cathedral; the one on the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets; houses a replica of a magnificent Jesus tile from Iran. It is on display on the Southern wall on your left as you enter the church via the Flinders street entrance.
And some would probably be surprised to know that many Christians live in Iran and have been living there peacefully for centuries.
“This tile is a replica of an eight-pointed star tile which is found under the rose window over the main door of the Church of St Simon the Zealot in Shiraz and in St Luke’s in Isfahan.
The tile contains in the centre the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, surrounded by eight of his titles, which have been selected as well for their meaning as for their assonance and symmetry. Reading from the top, clockwise, the titles are:
The Builder, the Sublime, the Forgiver, the Guide,
the Deity, the Redeemer, the Healer, the Protector“
