St Catharine’s Church, Gloucester has welcomed a striking new arrival – the lion sculpture, ‘Lion’s Breath’, one of the sculptures from this summer’s Lions at Large: The Pride of Gloucestershire trail.
32 colourful large lion sculptures, each uniquely designed by numerous local artists, were displayed across Cheltenham and Gloucester over the summer. After the trail ended, the lions were auctioned at Cheltenham Racecourse on 9 October, and overall, £220,000 was raised for the Big Space Cancer Appeal and the Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity. Among the bidders was St Catharine’s Church.
“There were four lions we were interested in bidding on, but Lion’s Breath was the one we really wanted,” Jo Pestell, Vicar of St Catharine’s, said. “With Lion’s Breath, his story was about hope, healing, growth and the power of transformation. The last line in his description says, ‘This lion reminds us that strength blooms from within even in the wildest storms’.
“It feels like, through this lion, we would be able to talk about the hope found in Jesus in a way that would connect with our community. Also, I couldn’t help but think about the Narnia stories and Aslan’s breath. It brings stone to life, removes fear, gives courage and strength, and calls creation to love.”
Lion’s Breath is currently resting inside the church, and visitors can see him during half-term. The sculpture will soon take pride of place outside the church, where the community can enjoy him daily.
Jo said: “Lion’s Breath will be a sign of God’s presence in the community. We have the hospital in the parish, and many people pass by the grounds of St Catharine’s going to and from the hospital. We hope the lion will plant seeds of hope in those who see him, and bring a smile to people’s faces.
“The parish of St Catharine’s includes a very deprived area, and we spend a lot of time with our church school, Kingsholm Primary, working to raise children’s hopes and aspirations. We felt that having a beautiful sculpture would be part of doing that. I loved seeing children engage with these lions on the trail over the summer, and it felt important that at least one will stay in a public space. We also hope that we will be able to simply tell the Christian story through the resonances of hope, renewal and transformation.”
Through the lion and the money given for the lion at the auction, St Catharine’s aims to share hope and God’s healing love with the community.
“Most of us will have been impacted by cancer in our lives. For me personally, my cousin Kate died this summer following 18 months of bowel and then brain cancer. I want those being treated for cancer to have a space that helps with that journey. As Christians we want to pray and offer the hope and healing we believe is found in Jesus, and speak of the strength and presence he can offer in the storms of life, as well as to be generous with all that God has given us,” Jo said.
St Catharine’s is inviting the community to suggest a Christian-themed name for the lion before an official unveiling and carol celebration on Saturday 6 December.
The church is currently running a fundraiser to enable people to contribute to the lion, with any additional funds raised going to support local families struggling this Christmas with food parcels.
Jo said: “The fundraiser is for anyone in the community to contribute towards, as a sign that this lion is not just for church people but for everyone who lives, works or travels through the parish. We hope that the local community will feel it is their lion, just as St Catharine’s is their church, and that he will continue to offer hope for many years to come.”
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