Rupintojelis

This is Rupintojelis. His name is pronounced roo-pinto-YAY-lis. It's Lithuanian. (No, he is not crooked. The photographer is!)




When Grandma decided, in 1993, at 80, to go to Lithuania, I decided to go, too. I thought 80 was a bit...mature to be heading to a just-freed-Iron-Curtain country without a companion. We spent 3 weeks touring the land her parents came from. It was a wonderful trip, and we came back with many stories. I'll try to share some of them this week.

But this guy came back with us, too. Notice his face. Yes, he looks like Jesus. Because He is.




Lithuanians have been carving an image of a worrying man into trees, posts, etc, for a thousand years or more. It probably started as a pagan symbol, which may date to the Sumerians. It had many interpretations; some saw it as a god, worrying about the state of the earth and its inhabitants. The Lithuanians were the last Europeans to be Christianized, which happened in the late 14th century. As the Church took root in the country, it took on pagan symbols for itself. Rupintojelis' face morphed into that of Jesus, and He became the One who would worry over His people.

When we traveled through Lithuania, we saw countless little souvenir sellers, with their wares spread on tables, floors, streets, and, even, in the case of on street seller of amber necklaces, hung all over their bodies. Many of them carried carvings and depictions of Rupintojelis. We could have bought one daily and had 21 different styles, although most follow this form; a worrying Christ, seated under an awning of some sort.

This simple souvenir took on new meaning for me last week. After I posted this, I was cleaning up in Grandma's room, and found Rupintojelis, carefully wrapped, on a shelf. I took him down and hung him, realizing that this was a great visual reminder for me to LET HIM worry about me and just get on with doing what he needs me to do today.

Which reminds me. I'd best get to it!