There is an
interesting story behind the statue of resurrected Christ today behind
the altar in the ‘Church of Our Lady’ Cathedral in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The statue made by Karl Albert Bertel
Thorvaldsen in clay, a Danish sculptor of international repute. The
original statue had its head held high, gazing upward towards heaven.
The hands were also held high and outstretched as if to bless the whole
humanity. He finished the work and went home leaving the clay to dry and
harden, but during the night, a dense mist spread from the sea. A heavy
rainstorm dampened the whole area. The dampness entered his studio and
altered the appearance of the statue. The head that was held high, bent
forwards and faced downwards. The arms raised high in a commanding
gesture, now fell low and stretched forward in an inviting gesture. At
first, the sculptor felt depressed as this masterpiece appeared to be
damaged and ruined beyond repair by the weather. From further
observation and meditation, he learned that the altered figure depicted
the true image of our loving Lord. It now displayed the "Compassionate
Saviour". The sympathetic arms were outstretched as if to embrace the
sad and needy humanity. On the pedestal in the cathedral the words,
“Come unto me” were inscribed later, based on the verse in Matthew
11:28. If one wants to see the face of Christ in the statue clearly, he
must get down on his knees and look upwards. This statue has been
described as the most perfect statue of Christ in the world. When
Thorvaldsen unveiled this statue in the Copenhagen Cathedral 1828, it is
recorded that "crowds of astonished onlookers marveled at the grandeur
and sublimity of the work."
