Thiruvananathapuram: The Vizhinjam coast will henceforth have something in common with Rio de Janeiro. Just like the ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue that looks down upon that Brazilian city, Vizhinjam also has a statue looking down upon it, though in dimensions much smaller.
Major Archbishop Soosa Pakiam of the Latin archdiocese of Trivandrum consecrated the statue at the Holy Mass held on Sunday evening.
As the sun went down, the entire populace in the nearby villages converged under the statue to witness the consecration. The statue and the attached chapel are part of the St. Mary’s (Our Lady of Voyage) Church, situated uphill.
The dimensions of the statue have been fixed based on the number of years Jesus is believed to have lived – 33. The statue is 33-ft tall and the total width with the arms outstretched is 33 ft. From the ground, the statue stands at a height of 90 ft. The Rio statue is 98-ft tall and its arms stretch is 92-ft wide.
Rajesh Amal, a sculptor based in Menamkulam, took two years to complete the statue, built entirely of concrete.
Consecrating the statue, the Archbishop said that the statue and the chapel would become a centre of solace for everyone.
(Source: The Hindu)