The Parable of the Good Shepherd
Rev. Dominic CHAN Chi-ming, Fr. Pierangelo PAGANI, Albano POLI, Ms. Anna KWONG Sum-yee
The Parable of the Shepherd
Psalm 23: The Lord is my Shepherd
A shepherd walks his sheep in the pastures where the meadows bring them the newness of life! It reflects on the immense love and mercy that the Shepherd has bestowed on His sheep.
The parable is interpreted as follows: the pilgrims climbing these two flights of the staircase up to the St. Joseph’s Chapel are invited to remember that the Shepherd is walking with us. His presence is felt by the footsteps at the lower part of the staircase, with the desire for the discovery of beauty in our heart.
Moving up along the ribbon grasped in the hand of the Shepherd, you will see the moon and the star tied with a ribbon. The moon represents the sheep that gets away from the flock, falls over a precipice into the abyss; the sheep is freed by the Shepherd finally and brought to a safe resting place, which is represented by the star.
Lastly, the Shepherd takes the lost sheep on his shoulder and brings it back to the sheepfold. As we are also carried like the lost sheep, we celebrate now for a repentant sinner: and are in search for the greenest fields for the flock.
“I am the Shepherd!”
Artist’s Biography
Rev. Dominic CHAN Chi-ming, the eighth-generation native of Yim Tin Tsai village, grew up in a Catholic family and is the former vicar general of Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. He is heavily involved in the revitalisation of Yim Tin Tsai, including his effort to facilitate the conservation works of St. Joseph’s Chapel. Ordained in 1979, he returns to Yim Tin Tsai to hold mass in May each year. Rev. CHAN believes that art is an expression of life and hopes that Yim Tin Tsai Arts Festival will let visitors experience the island with their heart.
Fr. Pierangelo PAGANI has been involved in several projects related to churches and chapels, both in Italy and outside Italy. Taking into deep account the liturgical and teleological guidelines of the Vatican Council II, he created artworks through the intense use of lights and colours, aiming at creating a remarkable space where the believer is “embraced” by the harmony of the Holy Spirit.
Albano POLI is an international renowned artist who founded his own studio, Progetto Arte Poli. Based in Italy, it is now the largest artistic studio in Italy involved in creating unique artworks by hand. This mosaic artwork on the staircase is entirely hand-made, demonstrating unique three-dimensional touch through a particular technique of his own.
Ar. Anna KWONG Sum-yee, MH, is a graduate from the Department of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong and a past president of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects. She actively participates in cultural heritage conservation in Hong Kong and is an advocate of eco-architecture tourism as well as Yim Tin Tsai Arts Festival. She was involved in the conservation projects for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong; St Joseph’s Chapel in Yim Tin Tsai, and the revitalisation of the saltpans of Yim Tin Tsai. These restoration projects were recognised by an Honourable Mention, an Award of Merit and an Award of Distinction at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Preservation Awards in 2003, 2005 and 2015 respectively.
Material
Mosaic
Size
Mosaic area 5.8 m2 / Staircase area 20 m2
