All articles tagged with #virgin mary statue
A 55.6-metre concrete Virgin Mary statue in Konotopie, Poland, promoted as Europe’s tallest, was unveiled and consecrated by Bishop Krzysztof Wętkowski. Funded by a local millionaire couple, the remote monument features a crown and rose-petal ceremony, signaling the Catholic Church’s waning public influence in Poland while drawing comparisons to taller monuments elsewhere.
In Konotopie, Poland, a 55.6-meter Virgin Mary statue (including a crown-like 15-meter pedestal) was inaugurated, reportedly Europe’s tallest of its kind and taller than Rio’s Christ the Redeemer. Funded by local billionaire Roman and Grażyna Karkosik, the project includes a pedestal viewing platform and aims to attract pilgrims and tourists to the tiny village of under 150 residents.
A 55-metre concrete-and-steel Virgin Mary statue in Konotopie has been crowned Europe’s tallest Marian monument (second in the world after the Philippines’ Mother of All Asia). Funded by billionaire Roman Karkosik at about 100 million zlotys ($26m), the monument will be blessed on Aug 15, though the site remains unfinished. Officials hope the project will draw pilgrims and create jobs, while some locals question the allocation of funds for a hospital or orphanage. Poland’s Catholic identity persists but is shrinking, with 71% identifying as Roman Catholic in 2021, down from 88% a decade earlier.
Bosnian police arrested a suspect after overnight vandalism at Medjugorje’s Shrine of Our Lady: the Virgin Mary statue on Apparition Hill was defaced with black paint on the face and hands, the pedestal spray-painted with Devil in a skirt, and an outdoor altar near St. James Church was set on fire; authorities say they are investigating motive as cleanup and repairs begin and pilgrims prepare for the annual youth prayer festival.
Two Israeli soldiers were jailed for 21 and 14 days in southern Lebanon after one stuck a cigarette in a Virgin Mary statue and the other photographed it; the viral image drew widespread outrage and followed prior condemnations of anti-Christian acts, with the Israeli military saying it treats religious symbols with respect and punished the offenders accordingly.
Israel’s military says it is investigating a circulating photo of a soldier desecrating a Virgin Mary statue in Debel, southern Lebanon; the image, apparently taken weeks ago but shared online this week, comes amid reports of other desecrations and destruction by Israeli forces in the area as fighting continues and civilian displacement grows. Past incidents in Debel led to disciplinary action against soldiers, and Israeli authorities have condemned such acts while continuing operations in the region.
The Israeli military is investigating a soldier photographed in Debel, southern Lebanon, smoking and placing a cigarette on the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue; a similar incident saw another soldier strike a Jesus statue with a sledgehammer. The two involved were given 30 days in military prison after international condemnation. The IDF condemned the act as a serious deviation from its values and said disciplinary measures would follow the investigation, as clashes with Hezbollah continue and casualties rise on both sides, drawing condemnation from the Catholic Church.
Photos circulated showing an IDF soldier smoking with a cigarette inserted into a Virgin Mary statue in Debel, Lebanon, prompting condemnation from Lebanon’s Christian community; the IDF says the incident is under investigation and it allegedly occurred weeks ago but was only posted recently. The episode follows an April Debel incident where a soldier smashed a Jesus statue and was punished, along with other controversies in the village, fueling tensions between Israeli forces and local Christians.
A restoration of the beloved Virgin Mary statue in Seville, known as the Macarena, went wrong, sparking outrage among locals who felt the work made her look overly made-up. The botched repairs caused a scandal, revealing deep reverence for the statue and sparking political and cultural tensions in the city. The incident has led to calls for further restoration and reflection on the community's attachment to their sacred images.
Plans by a ski resort in rural California to install a 20-foot statue of the Virgin Mary have sparked anger among locals who argue that it disrespects the area's Native American history. Critics have called for the resort to keep religion out of skiing and have started an online petition demanding the project be halted. The resort's owners, however, see the statue as a representation of their dedication to family and the beauty of the mountain. The project is expected to be completed next summer.
A ski resort in California, Mt. Shasta Ski Park, has announced plans to erect a 20-foot statue of the Virgin Mary on one of its slopes, which has sparked outrage among some locals. Nearly 1,700 people have signed a petition to stop the construction, arguing that the statue will offend those who do not share the same religious beliefs and disrupt the natural beauty and spirituality of the environment. Critics have suggested honoring the Native Americans who once inhabited the area instead and have called for religion to be kept out of skiing.