Homeless Jesus

The sculpture depicts Jesus Christ as a homeless person, sleeping on a bench. His face and hands are not visible; only his legs, bearing the marks of crucifixion, protrude from under the covering, allowing for the identification of the figure.

The creator of the work is Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz, a devout Catholic. His sculpture was meant to provoke reflection, while also serving as an illustration of Jesus' words from the Gospel of Matthew: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." The direct inspiration, according to the artist, was a homeless person he encountered sleeping on a bench in Toronto.

This statue marks the first of its kind in Poland, with its official unveiling scheduled for 4 p.m. on June 24th.

Crafted in bronze, its placement outside the monastery in Warsaw is meaningful. The monastery is renowned for its support of the homeless community and operates a daily soup kitchen that provides around 600 meals each day.