'Homeless Jesus' statue mistaken for real person, visitors call police

It may be cold out, but Homeless Jesus can weather any storm.

A bronze sculpture of Jesus Christ wrapped in a blanket and sleeping on a park bench has been the subject of numerous calls placed to paramedics in Hamilton, Ontario.

The confused callers believe the statue, placed outside a church, is an actual homeless man, Hamilton Paramedic Service operations supervisor Edward Harris told the CBC.

Harris says there has been an uptick in the calls after officials issued a plea for citizens to tip off authorities when they see people out in the cold.

"Thanks to those who reported someone (lying) out in the cold, thankfully it's the 'Homeless Jesus' statue,” the Hamilton Paramedic Service tweeted on Wednesday.

The sculpture, created by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz, is in place in cities including Grand Haven, Mich., Phoenix, Washington, Chicago, and Dublin, Ireland, the CBC reports.

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