Rainbow glass sculpture of Christ installed in former Czech Catholic church

Rainbow-colored sculpture of Christ at St. Barbara’s Church in Všekary. Photo: Jan Koubek

A multicolored sculpture of Christ more than two meters tall, mounted on a steel cross, has been installed in the former Roman Catholic Church of St. Barbara in the Czech Republic. The work was created by Czech architect and actor David Vávra, UOJ-Czechia reports.

The church in the village of Všekary in the Plzeň Region had long been in a state of disrepair and at one point was even slated for demolition. In 2020, the building was transferred to the village, which began gradually restoring it, while a local council member asked Vávra to create a new altar for the church.

The sculpture was made by glassmakers from Skalice u České Lípy. Together with the steel cross, it weighs more than 400 kilograms, while its colors change depending on the light entering through the church windows.

“I wanted it to be not only about death on the cross, but above all about resurrection, hope, and forgiveness,” the architect said, adding that he associated the work’s many colors with the biblical image of the rainbow – the sign of God’s covenant with humanity after the Flood.

With the help of grants, the village has spent about eight million Czech korunas on restoring the church, while the sculpture itself is expected to cost nearly half a million korunas. Part of the amount is being raised through a public fundraiser.

Regular services are not planned at the church. The space is intended to be used for concerts, weddings, and other cultural events.

As the UOJ reported, the Czech Republic previously rejected the Istanbul Convention amid concerns over gender ideology.

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