Angels Unawares
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| Angels Unawares |
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| Timothy Schmalz , 2019 |
| St. Peter's Square |
Angels Unawares is a bronze sculpture by Timothy Schmalz , which has been installed in St. Peter's Square in the Vaticansince September 29, 2019, the 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees. At his inauguration, Pope Francis said he wanted the sculpture “to remind everyone of the Protestant challenge of hospitality”.
The six-meter-long sculpture shows a group of migrants and refugees on a boat, wearing clothes that show that they come from different cultures and historical moments. For example, there is a Jew who is fleeing Nazi Germany, a Syrian who is leaving the Syrian civil war, and a Pole who is escaping the communist regime. The sculptor of the work said he wanted to "show the different moods and emotions associated with a migrant's journey". The artist had previously made sculptures on a similar theme as Homeless Jesus . The work includes angel wings through which the author suggests that a migrant is secretly an angel in our midst. The artist's inspiration was Hebrews 13: 2: “Do not forget to be hospitable; because as a result, some have housed angels without their knowledge. "
The idea for the sculpture came from Cardinal Michael Czerny , a Canadian colleague and Undersecretary of State for the Department for Migrants and Refugees, who commissioned it in 2016. Among those represented on the ship are the cardinal's parents, who immigrated to Canada from Czechoslovakia. The sculpture was funded by a northern Italian migrant family, the Rudolph P. Bratty family. On September 29, 2019, Pope Francis and four refugees from different parts of the world inaugurated the sculpture. A smaller reproduction, about one and a half meters high, will be permanently installed in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.
Remarks
- ↑ “Angels Unawares”: El Papa inaugura esta escultura de bronce , Ecclesia. 29th September 2019.
- ↑ 'Angels Unawares' - Vatican migration sculpture coming to United States , Catholic World Report. 17th December 2019.
- ^ Ontario artist's Homeless Jesus installed at Vatican , The Star. April 1, 2016.
- ^ Pope unveils sculpture commemorating migrants and refugees , Vatican News. 29th September 2019.
- ↑ a b Canadian artist's bronze statue depicting plight of refugees in boat unveiled at St. Peter's Square in Rome , CBC. 29th September 2019.
- ↑ Christians have 'moral duty' to help migrants, refugees, pope says , CNS. 29th September 2019.
- ^ Artist says new sculpture in St. Peter's Square blends history and current events , Crux. 29th September 2019.