Cristo Redentor: Christ the Redeemer

Up Close and Personal   (Photo by Emesbe)

When Kevin Durant got to Rio, he reached out for something more precious than gold: Cristo Redentor. Durant described his visit to this famous statue as a “bucket list” experience.

Jeff Wells of Mental Floss explains that when the Brazilian republic was created in 1889, separation of church and state ensued.  Brazilian Catholics then feared that “the nation was headed toward a precipice.”  In order to sustain religious fervor, they commissioned a statue of Christ “to be situated atop Mount Corcovado” overlooking Rio.

It took nine years to complete the 98-foot-tall statue.  Soapstone tile was used to sculpt “the fine contours of Christ’s image” because concrete was thought to be “too rough” a substance.  Workers often etched words into the tiles; therefore, the statue is literally filled with hidden messages.

When Cristo Redentor turned 75 in 2006, a small chapel was built at its base.  You can now get married there and afterwards take a series of elevators and escalators to the top.  Once there, you can intimately behold the statue’s outstretched arms.  For some, these are the sign of the cross.  For others, a welcoming hug...

Resources

http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/11-facts-about-rio%e2%80%99s-christ-the-redeemer-statue/ar-BBvvsmG?li=BBnb7Kz

Copyright August 21, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved