Mainly Muslim Indonesia has inaugurated the world’s tallest statue of Jesus, which is 61 meters (200 feet) tall, at a tourist site in the North Sumatra province.
Located on top of a hill next to the popular Lake Toba in Samosir regency, the ceremony for statue was led on Sept 19 by the head of the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia Antonius Subianto Bunjamin, Medan Archbishop Kornelius Sipayung, along with local authorities, The Jakarta Post reported.
The statue of Jesus is at least 20 meters taller than the world famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, in Christian-majority Brazil, which stands at 39.6 meters.
UCA News cited Bishop Bunjamin noting that the statue was unveiled after a miniature statue was blessed by Pope Francis at the Vatican embassy in Jakarta on Sept. 6, when he visited Indonesia.
The Holy Cross prelate said the prayer inscribed under the statue on a plate was also signed by Francis.
“What is admired about Jesus the Savior is his infinite love,” Francis said in the prayer.
Bunjamin said, “This is a hill blessed by God, which is expected to be a place that can strengthen the faith of people.”
The Capuchin Archbishop Kornelius Sipayung of Medan Sipayung, who attended the inauguration, said the statue is “a reminder that God has been present in the world.”
“This statue is not only an object of beauty but is a call for humans to be a light for the world,” he said.
Jesus’ open hands symbolize that “Jesus accepts everyone with love,” he added.
North Sumatra, comprising Medan archdiocese and Sibolga diocese, is one of the areas with a high Christian population in Indonesia.
According to the Central Statistics Agency, of North Sumatra’s 15 million population, Catholics are 1.1 million and Protestants 4.01 million.
