In the midst of a pandemic, Brazil will build a statue of …

As the country goes through its worst health crisis, a Brazilian religious association continues to build a statue of Jesus which will be higher than the iconic Christ the Redeemer of Corcovado, in Rio de Janeiro. That same week, the coat of arms and the head of the new monument were installed.

The statue is being built on a hill in the small town of Encantado, in Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil. “It is for sure a day of celebration, of devotion,” said Encantado adviser Gilson Conzatti. The Encantado sculpture will be named after Cristo Protector and will be 43 meters high, including its pedestal, which will make it the third tallest statue of this type in the world, only behind that of the Christ of Peace in Ciudad Victoria (Mexico) and that of Christ the King in Swiebodzin (Poland). It surpasses Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba (Bolivia) and Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro.

“El Cristo Protector de Encantado is a union of ideas and efforts of families, enchanted leaders, religious and businessmen who seek to mark the strength of faith, dedication and gratitude of a people”, highlights the Amigos del Cristo Association on its Facebook page.

The sculpture will have an internal elevator and a gazebo. Encantado has 22,000 inhabitants and is located 144 kilometers from Porto Alegre, the state capital.

The construction budget is 2 million reais (295,000 euros) and was financed by donations: according to the Association of Friends of Christ, there was no “political support”, although the list of donors has not been published.