Scottish Catholic Observer

Copies of the statue (above) by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz can be found in cities all over the world, but this is the first one in the UK.

The sculpture was unveiled in front of the Church of Scotland’s St George’s Tron, in Nelson Mandela Place, just off Sauchiehall Street. Despite pouring rain and heavy wind, Archbishop Tartaglia (above right) was joined by a large crowd of other religious and civic leaders for the unveiling.

The sculpture of Jesus lying on a bench wrapped in a blanket could be any homeless person. The only detail that suggests that the sculpture represents Jesus are the wounds on the feet.

Fr Willy Slavin was instrumental in bringing the statue to Scotland and said it was ‘wonderful.’

“It is a great piece of art,” he said. “It depicts Jesus as one of us.”

Fr Slavin was originally contacted by Mr Schmalz and worked together with the Glasgow Churches Together association and raised funds to bring the statue to Glasgow.

The sculpture cost £25,000 and the money was raised by private subscription. Fr Slavin said some people had criticised the cost but he felt it would be a powerful reminder ‘the poor are with us always’ and said people who have contributed to this also give money to the poor.

Also represented at the unveiling ceremony were charities that dedicate their ministry to the homeless like Bethany Homeless Charity, who said it was good that awareness of the problem of homelessness was being raised through art, especially in the cold winter months.

“Many people end up homeless,” a representative for the charity said. “The causes are often drug and alcohol abuse and relationship breakdowns but it is important to remember that God met us in our brokenness and we need to do the same.”

Many artists have responded to the message and symbolism of the life size bronze sculpture. Among them are Peter Howson, who painted the famous depiction of St John Ogilvie at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Glasgow and Iain Campbell, who is artist in residence at St George’s Tron. Peter Howson’s work Homeless Jesus 2017 will be displayed at the same church as the statue and then tour across Scotland at events that ‘promote and highlight the plight of homelessness.’

He said the painting of the homeless Jesus took him six weeks to complete.

“It moved me in a way I wasn’t expecting and I was drawn to the lonely isolation and helpless situation of the figure depicted,” he said.

Iain Campbell created a piece called Our Last Supper depicting different men having a humble meal together.

“My painting of Our Last Supper just like Howson’s painting and the sculpture lead us to a dawning realisation: anyone out there could be Jesus, as St Matthew also says