HOMELESS JESUS
MATERIAL
Bronze
WEIGHT
450 kg
DIMENSION
2 m L × 1 m W × 0.6 m H
LOCATION
Community of Sant’Egidio Rome, Italy
GLOBAL FOOTPRINT
Replicas installed in over 100 cities worldwide.
Homeless Jesus is a life-size bronze sculpture that depicts Jesus as a homeless person sleeping on a park bench. The figure is completely wrapped in a thick blanket with His face deliberately shrouded, prompting viewers to use their own imagination to visualize Christ and suggesting that He is present in the most marginalized and invisible members of our society. The only indication of His divine identity is the crucifixion wounds visible on His bare feet.
The inspiration behind the work is taken from the Gospel of Matthew:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
– Matthew 25:35, 40
ORIGIN & INSPIRATION
The monumental work embodies the belief that sacredness is present in the poor and forgotten in our midst, directly challenging the social indifference of our fast-paced lives.
The concept was born in downtown Toronto on a cold November day when the sculptor, Timothy Schmalz, saw a homeless person completely wrapped in a sleeping bag in the middle of a busy sidewalk. He was deeply shaken and immediately felt: “that is Jesus”. Rather than placing the figure on a high, unreachable pedestal, Schmalz designed the bronze figure lying on a traditional New York-style park bench. By leaving just enough open space on the seat next to Christ, the sculpture creates an active, uncomfortable invitation for passersby to sit down close to the Son of Man, shattering the protective “force field” we build to isolate ourselves from human suffering.
The Blessing of Mercy and a Global Camino Walk
In late 2013, Timothy Schmalz presented a small maquette of the sculpture to Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square, who blessed the piece with profound affection. Subsequently, in March 2016, coinciding with the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the life-size bronze monument was permanently installed and blessed outside the Papal Charities (Limosnería Apostólica) headquarters in Vatican City.
Marking a milestone of international spiritual connection, a replica of Homeless Jesus was blessed and unveiled on July 22, 2025, at the Pilgrim’s Reception Office of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, sponsored by Diane and Tim Needles. During the dedication, Archbishop Francisco José Prieto Fernández highlighted the urgent call of the sculpture, noting that while the pilgrim arriving in Santiago has walked a route with a clear destination, this artwork serves as a visual testament to the millions who walk through life without a safe roof, a home, or a known horizon.
SYMBOLISM & HIDDEN DETAILS
Community of Sant’Egidio, Rome, Italy.
Outside the headquarters of the Community of Sant’Egidio in Rome’s historic Trastevere district—where the earliest Christian communities gathered—Homeless Jesus rests permanently at street level. By choosing not to place the sculpture on a pedestal, it merges organically with the daily life of the city. Passersby, pilgrims, and those living on the streets are invited to touch the bronze and sit directly beside Christ
Part of a Curated Route
This sculpture is a stop on Connecting Pilgrims Through Compassion, a 2h35min audio-guided journey through 8 of Tim’s sculptures across Rome.
REPLICAS
Homeless Jesus has been cast and installed in over 100 religiously and historically significant locations worldwide, allowing local communities to engage deeply with the call of Matthew 25.
Below are the main lists of worldwide locations.
NORTH AMERICA
Regis College, University of Toronto (Original Installation)
Toronto, Canada
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church
Davidson, North Carolina, USA
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
New York City, USA
Catholic Charities (G Street)
Washington D.C., USA
St. Mary’s University (outside the Basilian Hall)
Calgary, Canada
St. Joseph’s Health Centre
Hamilton, Canada
Church of the Redeemer
Toronto, Canada
King’s University College, University of Western Ontario
London, Canada
Holy Rosary Cathedral
Vancouver, Canada
Central Presbyterian Church
Austin, Texas, USA
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Buffalo, New York, USA
Church of the Palms
Sun City, Arizona, USA
LATIN AMERICA
Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Convento de los Dominicos
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Basilica Sanctuary of the Fallen Lord of Monserrate
Bogotá, Colombia
EUROPE
Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (Papal Charities / Apostolic Almoner’s Office)
Vatican City, Italy
Community of Sant’Egidio Headquarters
Rome, Italy
Badia Fiorentina Abbey
Florence, Italy
Ospedale di Santo Spirito in Sassia
Rome, Italy
Cathedral of the Almudena
Madrid, Spain
Santa Anna Church
Barcelona, Spain
Christ Church Cathedral
Dublin, Ireland
St. George’s Tron Church
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
St. Anne’s Square
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Church of Sant’Egidio
Antwerp, Belgium
Holy Magdalena Church
Bruges, Belgium
Mozes en Aäronkerk
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street
London, England, United Kingdom
Centenary House & Calder Fountain Lifehouse (Salvation Army)
Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Church of St. Biagio
Codogno, Italy
Church of Our Lady and St Nicholas
Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
Fatima, Portugal
ASIA
St. Peter’s Church
Capernaum, Israel
Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
Singapore
Manila Cathedral
Manila, Philippines
Seosomun Historical Park
Seoul, South Korea
AFRICA
No locations listed on the Wikipedia page.
OCEANIA
St. James’ Church
Sydney, Australia
Newman College
Melbourne, Australia
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Townsville, Australia
ABOUT THE PATRONAGE
As a global artistic movement, each local installation of Homeless Jesus is brought to life through the vision and financial support of dedicated sponsors. If your community, parish, or institution would like to bring this powerful visual sermon to your city streets, we invite you to join our global network of benefactors.
The Artist
“I want my sculptures to speak the language of compassion and invite everyone to reflect on the dignity of each human being.”
PHOTO GALLERY
