CLEVELAND — The Community West Foundation has gifted Malachi House with one of six statues in the Matthew 25 Collection created by Timothy Schmalz.

The statue ”When I Was Naked” was dedicated Friday at a presentation at its permanent home at the Kaki’s Garden at Malachi House, which serves those in need who are terminally ill.

The statue portrays Jesus as a homeless man, naked and clinging to a piece of cardboard to keep him warm. The statue is located in front of the house, alongside a curbside flower garden.

Malachi House was founded in 1987 through an effort to preserve human dignity for terminally ill individuals.

Malachi House was chosen by Community West Foundation, as one of six locations for the Matthew 25 Collection, an assemblage of bronze statues created by Schmalz. The statues depict Jesus in various situations and are thematically connected to the mission of each community partner where the statues will be placed.

Cleveland will be only the second city in the world, following Rome, Italy, to have the full collection of all six bronze figures in the Matthew 25 Collection.

In 2017, Community West Foundation purchased a replica of the Homeless Jesus sculpture. The single artwork has since traveled to dozens of churches and partner organizations as a powerful public reminder of the importance of caring for those in need.

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