Meet Ahmed--The New Muslim Gargoyle On A French Cathedral

Ahmed Benzizine poses next to the gargoyle sculpted to look like him in this Monday photo. Benzizine, a Muslim, worked on the restoration of the cathedral in Lyon, France. The sculpture stands over a sign saying "Allah Akhbar" (God is the Greatest) in both Arabic and French.

Like this isn't going to cause controversy:

Gargoyles — their contorted faces serving the dual purpose of warding off evil spirits and operating as rain gutters — are ubiquitous on the dramatic facades of Europe's Medieval cathedrals.

But a recent addition to the 12th century Roman Catholic Saint-Jean-Baptiste cathedral in Lyon, France, features a slightly less traditional face: one of a Muslim man.


The gargoyle, nicknamed "Ahmed," perches above an inscription of "Allah Akhbar," or "God is the Greatest," in both French and Arabic, the AFP news agency reported.

The sculpture is the work of stonemason Emmanuel Fourchet, who modeled the figure after his friend and colleague Ahmed Benzizine.

I suppose some may consider having a gargoyle made in your likeness is a compliment.
Still, I'm not sure why Allah Akbar on a cathedral would be considered appropriate.

Personally though, what I find most controversial is that I'm not sure that Benzizine is the model for that gargoyle at all.

What do you think?

Technorati Tag: Gargoyles.