Kristus Karaļa kalns: jaunās kristīgās simbolikas pieteikums

Abstract

The research is dedicated to a popular in recent years sculpture complex called the hill of Christ the King. It is situated in the Eastern part of Latvia near the famous pilgrimage place Aglona beginning with 2006. Although Christian spirituality together with its images and symbols experiences a deep crisis today, the project of the hill of Christ the King being mainly Christian by its content attracts ordinary people in Latvia who, in their turn, have even formed a parish of approximately 120 members. Even more than that: the sculpture complex seems to be rather fascinating for Christian theologians and experts in the field of religion as well.

The task of the article is to discover the reason for such a popularity of the hill of Christ the King. Firstly, it represents in obscure form some essential aspects of the traditional Latvian folk religion, such as the modified animism and the idea of fate. Secondly, the author of the sculpture complex Eriks Delpers, deliberately or not, goes the path of anthropological shift in the traditional Christian doctrine and practice paying great respect to the theme of man in his books and art. Thirdly, a few problematic modes of Christian doctrine today are just ignored by the artist or reinterpreted in the light of popular Asian soteriological ideas by him. Fourthly, the art and books by Eriks Delpers present the strong emphases on eschatology that is typical for new religious movements of Christian origin.