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Europe's tallest Virgin Mary statue inaugurated in Poland
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- An enormous statue of the Virgin Mary, believed to be Europe’s tallest at 55.6 meters (182 feet), was inaugurated in the small Polish village of Konotopie, with anti-communist leader Lech Walesa in attendance.
- The statue surpasses the height of Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer and Poland’s Christ the King statue, though a taller Virgin Mary statue exists in the Philippines.
- Lech Walesa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Polish president, emphasized the significance of the Virgin Mary in his life and Poland’s Catholic heritage during the ceremony.
- The statue was financed by local millionaires Roman and Grażyna Karkosik as a gesture of gratitude to God and aims to become a pilgrimage and tourist site, featuring a viewing platform inside its pedestal.
- Despite a gradual decline in religious influence among younger and urban populations, the Catholic Church remains significant in rural Poland, with the statue symbolizing enduring faith in the country.
