The Lion of Lucerne’s message of unity spread across the world

For the past three months, I have had the privilege of serving as interim pastor of the International Church in Lucerne, Switzerland. Members of this English-speaking ecumenical congregation come from Singapore, Indonesia, South Africa, Brazil, Colombia, Ireland, Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine, England, France, Italy, Canada and Switzerland, as well as the United States. Every Sunday, as I stood before a diverse group to deliver my sermon, there was a feeling of universal community.

During my stay in Lucerne, I found myself visiting the famous wounded lion monument, known as the “Lion of Lucerne”, several times. This amazing sculpture was carved into a sandstone cliff over 200 years ago. It commemorates the 700 Swiss Guards who lost their lives trying to protect the King of France in 1792. The lion, which measures 20 feet tall and 33 feet long, lies with a broken spear in its back and its head bowed. He is obviously dying. Mark Twain called it “the most moving and saddest piece of stone in the world.”

The haunting beauty of this magnificent work of art drew me again and again in the middle of the day to this garden-like setting in the middle of the city. There is no entry fee and it is open to the public. And believe me, the public comes in large numbers.

Besides taking photos and writing in my journal, I would sit on a bench and simply observe the reactions of the busloads of tourists. There was an almost constant stream of “lion hunters” throughout the day. The astonishment on the faces when they first saw the beast was remarkable. Visitors with smartphones took several photos of the lion from different viewpoints. They also took selfies with the sculpture in the background.

I noticed groups of tourists from India, Japan, China, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom and various countries in Europe. The various languages ​​spoken reminded me of the nations represented in the Church I served. Yet despite the diversity, a sense of unity reigned. The magnificent sculpture provided a common ground. There was harmony and unity. This carved piece of stone represented the peace we all long for.

The day before my flight to Seattle, my wife and I paid one last visit to the lion. Two college-aged students were helping an elderly man climb the stairs in front of the monument. I engaged them in conversation. They described the joy they felt in helping their 90-year-old Virginia grandfather discover his Swiss roots. Like others I had witnessed in previous weeks, they were stunned by what they saw. Standing alongside their rather weak grandfather, they posed with the others around them, taking photo after photo. The lion has become the great equalizer.

When I mentioned to them that I was from the Seattle area, a tourist within earshot walked by and said: “I’m from Poulsbo!” To which I replied, “Let’s hear it for Sluy’s Bakery!” »

I tried to follow the woman in the cap into the crowd. I wanted to chat about his visit to Lucerne and see if maybe we had mutual friends in Kitsap County. Alas, she disappeared in the mass of people heading towards their buses. I wish I had his name.

Although Wendy and I are now back home, the eyes of the world are focused on where we went. This weekend, at Burgenstock, a mountain resort above Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland, representatives from a multitude of nations are gathering.

The aim of the meeting is to discuss ways to end the bloodshed in Ukraine. Although Russia and China will not participate, others will participate in the discussions, determined to find solutions to global conflicts. They will seek common ground on which to build bridges to isolated islands. This is an opportunity for those who can only follow developments in the media to pray that the process takes place.

Time constraints and safety precautions will likely prevent participants from visiting the lion monument within half an hour. And that’s a shame. A visit to the monument would allow world leaders to see what a gathering looks like. This would give those who can make a difference a glimpse of how nations are united when they come together on common ground.

Pastor Greg Asimakoupoulos is a retired pastor and chaplain and descendant of one of the founding families of Poulsbo. He writes an occasional column for the Kitsap Sun.

This article was originally published on Kitsap Sun: The Lion of Lucerne unites tourists from around the world