Philadelphia's Catholic community has dedicated a symbol of its commitment to the less fortunate by becoming the first city in Pennsylvania to have a “Homeless Jesus” statue.
The statue in front of Saint John’s Hospice on Race Street in Center City serves as a public symbol of the Catholic Church’s mission to help the "most marginalized and vulnerable members of society," according to Philadelphia Archdiocese.
The statue has now been installed in dozens of cities worldwide but the Philly bronze featuring Christ shrouded in a blanket on a park bench is the first in Pennsylvania, the church said.
Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput blessed the 7-foot long statue Monday saying it is a symbol to the church’s commitment to helping the homeless.
Besides hospice care, Saint John’s serves a daily hot lunch to more than 300 men and offers other services like showers and nursing to hundreds more men, the archdiocese said.
