Homeless Jesus Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Homeless Jesus
Statue outside Marian Catholic College
Artist	Timothy Schmalz
Type	Sculpture
Medium	Bronze
Subject	Jesus
Location	Toronto, Ontario, Canada Davidson, North Carolina, U.S.

Homeless Jesus, also known as Jesus the Homeless, is a bronze sculpture created by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz. It shows Jesus as a person sleeping on a park bench. The first sculpture was placed at Regis College in Toronto, Canada, in early 2013. Since then, many copies have been put up in different places around the world.

What the Sculpture Looks Like
Where the Sculptures Are Found
- First U.S. Installation
- Global Locations
Many Copies Around the World
Images for kids
See also

What the Sculpture Looks Like

The feet of the sculpture in Vancouver.

The Homeless Jesus sculpture at King's University College in Ontario.

Timothy Schmalz, a Canadian sculptor and a devoted Catholic, designed Homeless Jesus. The statue shows Jesus sleeping on a park bench, covered by a blanket. You cannot see his face or hands. However, small marks on his feet, like the wounds from the crucifixion, show who he is.

The sculpture is meant to remind people of a passage from the Gospel of Matthew. In this passage, Jesus says that when you help "the least of my brothers," you are helping him. Schmalz wanted the sculpture to make people think. He said it is "meant to challenge people."

Where the Sculptures Are Found

Timothy P. Schmalz's signature on the bench of the Homeless Jesus sculpture.

Schmalz first offered copies of the sculpture to St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. However, both churches did not accept them at the time. St. Michael's said the idea was not popular with everyone, and the church was being repaired. St. Patrick's also praised the artwork but was busy with renovations. The copy meant for St. Michael's was then placed at Regis College in Toronto.

First U.S. Installation

In 2013, the first copy in the United States was installed at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Davidson, North Carolina. The church bought it for $22,000. It was a memorial for a church member named Kate McIntyre, who loved public art. The Rev. David Buck, who leads St. Alban's, said the sculpture helps the church remember its faith. He explained that it reminds them to care for people who are struggling. Buck believes the statue is like a "Bible lesson." It helps people see Jesus not just as a king, but as someone who lived a simple life. He told NPR, "We believe that that's the kind of life Jesus had. He was, in essence, a homeless person."

A close-up of the face under the hood of the Homeless Jesus sculpture.

Global Locations

The Homeless Jesus sculpture has been installed in many cities around the world.

North America

In Detroit, Michigan, the sculpture is at the Saints Peter and Paul Jesuit Church. It helps honor and comfort homeless people the church serves.
Charleston, West Virginia, received its statue in November 2014.
St. Paul's Cathedral in Buffalo, New York, became a permanent home for a copy in 2015.
In May 2016, a copy was placed at Catholic Charities in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. About 60,000 cars pass by it daily.
In August 2017, a copy was installed at Father Woody's Haven of Hope in Denver, Colorado. This place helps homeless people with food, shelter, and other services.
In November 2019, a copy was installed in front of the St. James United Church in Montreal, Quebec.

Europe

In March 2016, a copy was installed in Rome, Italy, near St. Peter's Basilica. Schmalz had shown a small version to Pope Francis in 2013. The Pope touched the sculpture, closed his eyes, and prayed. Schmalz felt this showed how Pope Francis cares for those who are struggling.
Catholic Charities in Chicago and the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., also have copies outside their offices. Pope Francis visited the sculpture in Washington, D.C., during his 2015 visit.
Manchester, UK, approved an installation outside St Ann's Church. The Bishop of Manchester said the statue reminds people that helping those in need is like helping Jesus himself.
On December 7, 2017, a copy was installed in Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow, Scotland. A Scottish artist, Peter Howson, even made a painting of a homeless Jesus to go with it.
In April 2019, a statue was installed in the Gardens of the Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Liverpool. It was unveiled by residents of a local YMCA.

Australia and Oceania

St. James' Church, Sydney, Australia, has a copy. In November 2019, they held a vigil for the poor and homeless there.

Many Copies Around the World

By early 2016, about 100 copies of Homeless Jesus were on display globally. The first sculpture outside of North America was placed at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin in Ireland. The most well-known location for a copy is in Rome, outside the Papal Office of Charities.

Here are some other places where copies of the sculpture have been installed:

Asia

On the grounds of the Church of Saint Peter in ancient Capernaum, Israel
On the Sea of Galilee, Israel
At Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Singapore

Australia & Oceania

Outside St James' Church, Sydney, Australia
At Newman College, Melbourne, Australia
Outside Sacred Heart Cathedral, Townsville, Australia

Europe

Outside St George's Tron Church, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Near Almundena Cathedral of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
At King's University College, London, UK
At Salvation Army, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
At Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland
At Holy Magdalena Church, Bruges, Belgium
At Sant' Egidio, Antwerp, Belgium
In St Anne's Square, Manchester, UK
At Sant'Egidio Headquarters, Rome, Italy
In St. Biagio Church, Codogno, Italy
In the Gardens of the Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Liverpool

North America

At St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Davidson, North Carolina, USA
Outside of St. Basil's hall at St. Mary's University in Calgary, Canada
Outside the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago's headquarters in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, USA
Central Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas, USA
In front of Saints Peter and Paul Jesuit Catholic Church in downtown Detroit, USA
At Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, USA
Behind Roberts Park Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
In front of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City's main services building, Oklahoma, USA
On the corner of the grounds at St. Ann's Catholic Parish in Coppell, Texas, USA
In front of Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Outside Our Lady of Wisdom Newman Center, Nevada, USA
Outside Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, Mexico
Trinity Episcopal Church in Toledo, Ohio, USA
Outside St James United Church, Montreal, Canada
At St Johns Hospice, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
At St John the Divine Cathedral, New York, USA
At Epiphany Cathedral, Venice, Florida USA

South America

In the Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Images for kids

Timothy Schmalz in 2019. Schmalz was the designer for the sculpture Homeless Jesus.
A cast of Homeless Jesus outside the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.
A cast of the Homeless Jesus statue outside St. James United Church in Montreal. The cast was installed in 2019.
Cast of Homeless Jesus at Ciudad Colonial in Santo Domingo.
Cast of Homeless Jesus in front of Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver.
Cast of Homeless Jesus on the grounds of St. Peter's Church, Capernaum.
Cast of Homeless Jesus outside Almudena Cathedral in Madrid.