Look up at the top shelf in the BGLibrary and you’ll see a lion. That’s Aslan, the lion in C.S. Lewis’s “Chronicles of Narnia. “ In the seven Chronicles, Aslan the Lion is a symbol for Jesus, the Lion of Judah.
This wood carving is a gift from the Popovic family who came to this country from Belgrade in May of 1999. They were sponsored by Holy Trinity in cooperation with other area churches.
Bora Popovic carved the structure from a single piece of wood he found along a trail in Durham. At its dedication, Pastor Lindstrom suggested the title “Lion of Judah.” Bora said it represented the family’s prayer for love and peace in the world and gratitude for all they had received in America.
Both Barbara and Warren Galle were leaders at Holy Trinity in sponsoring immigrants, beginning with folks from Viet Nam after the war. Before 9/11, which forever changed the way people boarded transportation, Warren personally greeted the international ships in Portsmouth Harbor. This was before the days of cell phones, and many of the sailors hadn’t spoken to their families for months. Warren would bring them to Holy Trinity to use our telephone to call home.
Both Galles worked closely with the Popovic family, and because our library was organized under Barbara’s leadership, it’s appropriate that Aslan, the Lion of Judah, rests on its top shelf.