The Ecce Homo Statue is a most powerful depiction of John 19:1-16. Pilate presents the flogged and bleeding Jesus as the “King of the Jews” – a king crowned with thorns who wears a royal cape, and holds a reed for his royal scepter. PIlate then announces in Latin: Ecce Homo! (Behold the man!). This profoundly striking depiction of the “Man of Sorrows” will be a most fitting focus of meditation during Lent and Holy Week. The heirloom quality of this piece means that the Ecce Homo Statue will be displayed reverently in home or chapel for many generations to come!
The Ecce Homo Statue – A Generous Labor of Love, Faith, and Hope
The Ecce Homo Statue stands 9 inches high and is composed of dolomite stone and resin! A community of French nuns conceive, create, and handcraft each and every statue in the atelier of their monastery. Each nun, a true contemplative in action, prayerfully undertakes and fulfills a specific task required for the completion of each Ecce Homo Statue. Where, by whom, and how each statue is finished reminds us that is indeed a most generous labor of love, faith, and hope, and without a doubt ”culturally authentic”!
Ecce Homo – Behold the Man – The “Man of Sorrows”
Ecce Homo! Behold the man! Jesus – humiliated, tortured, mocked as a “king”, spat upon, scorned, reviled, and rejected – this Jesus is indeed the “Man of Sorrows”, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:3-12:
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.