YouTube Sensation about "Christian" the Lion is Inspired by Bible
The cub became a lion while exercising at the "Church at the World's End"
Reporter Mike Celizic, writing for AZCentral News, details a new YouTube phenomena, a decades-old video of Australians Anthony "Ace" Bourke and John Rendall, who were miraculously reunited with their pet lion who had been released into the wild.
The long and short of the story is this: the two men, living in London at the time, bought a lion cub in 1969 and, inspired by the Bible, they named him "Christian." Subsequently, the vicar of a local church—"Church at the World's End"—gave them permission to exercise Christian in the churchyard. Once the cub grew to 185 pounds, however, the pair knew they could not keep him any longer.
According to the report, Bourke and Rendall flew Christian to Kenya where they released him into his natural habitat. Occasionally, they would visit Kenya to see Christian "from afar." When, in 1974, the heard Christian had not been seen for several months, they flew back to Kenya one last time. Amazingly, "Christian suddenly reappeared and sat on a rock outside the naturalist's camp - as if waiting for his pals."
Says Celizic: "The color film has no sound. Subtitles tell the story, but they're hardly needed. There are two men in flared jeans and shaggy hair, and there is a lion. The huge carnivore approaches from a distance, slowly at first. Then recognition sets in, and soon everyone—men and beast—are hugging and crying. Christian even brings one of the lionesses in his pride over to meet his former roommates."
Watch the video by clicking on the link provided.
