'Jesus in Jeans' wows churchgoers

May 14 2009

A CHURCH has unveiled a bronze statue dubbed "Jesus in jeans" showing Christ as a man of the 21st century.

Father David Buckley unveiled the £35,000 seven-foot high bronze statue at the Our Lady Immaculate and St Philip Neri Catholic church in Uckfield.

Cornish's sculpture was funded by money left by Winifred Gregory, 87, a member of the congregation who passed away last year. Christ is wearing jeans and a shirt billowing in the wind while his hair and beard are neatly and fashionably trimmed.

Father Buckley said: "You are always looking for new ways to enrich people in the experience of Christianity and it is good people can be open-minded to appreciate it.

"On the continent you often encounter modern representations of Jesus but it is not so common over here. We wanted a figure of Christ not in suffering but dynamic and welcoming.

"We felt this design summed up the spirit and activity of Christ perfectly and I think it speaks for itself.

Members of a congregation committee opened a competition last year to find a winning statue to mark the church's 50-year anniversary."

Mr Cornish's design was the overwhelming favourite with more than 200 voting in favour last May and only 14 parishioners against.

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