An 182-foot-tall statue of the Virgin Mary was inaugurated Saturday in the Small Polish town of Konotopie, becoming the largest statue of Mother Mary in Europe.
The statue stands taller than Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue and is also larger than Poland’s Christ the King statue, which was unveiled in 2010. The Philippines is home to an even larger statue of Mary, which stands approximately 322 feet tall.
The small town of Konotopie has fewer than 150 residents. The statue was commissioned by Polish millionaires Roman and Grazyna Karkosik, who live a few miles from the town. The couple said the monument was intended to show their gratitude to God.
“The statue will be for all people,” Grażyna Karkosik told the Associated Press. “Each of us coming to see it will think more deeply about their own lives, not only about God.”
The dedication ceremony featured helicopters dropping red roses over the monument. It also included Lech Walesa, the former Polish president and anti-communist leader who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in Poland’s anti-communist movement as head of the Solidarity trade union. Walesa, a longtime Catholic, reflected on his life of supporting democracy and his faith.
“This is the end of my path,” he told the AP. “I started with the Virgin Mary and I end with the Virgin Mary.”
Poland remains a predominantly Catholic country. Although participation in religious life has declined in recent years, the Catholic Church continues to hold significant influence in the country.
“I cannot help but notice the weakening of the institution of the church, a withdrawal of specific social categories from Catholicism, and this hurts me,” said Bishop Wieslaw Mering, who attended the ceremony. “The history of Christianity has ups and downs but this place is a reminder that Mary won’t give up on Poland.”
The statue stands taller than Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue and is also larger than Poland’s Christ the King statue, which was unveiled in 2010. The Philippines is home to an even larger statue of Mary, which stands approximately 322 feet tall.
The small town of Konotopie has fewer than 150 residents. The statue was commissioned by Polish millionaires Roman and Grazyna Karkosik, who live a few miles from the town. The couple said the monument was intended to show their gratitude to God.
“The statue will be for all people,” Grażyna Karkosik told the Associated Press. “Each of us coming to see it will think more deeply about their own lives, not only about God.”
The dedication ceremony featured helicopters dropping red roses over the monument. It also included Lech Walesa, the former Polish president and anti-communist leader who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in Poland’s anti-communist movement as head of the Solidarity trade union. Walesa, a longtime Catholic, reflected on his life of supporting democracy and his faith.
“This is the end of my path,” he told the AP. “I started with the Virgin Mary and I end with the Virgin Mary.”
Poland remains a predominantly Catholic country. Although participation in religious life has declined in recent years, the Catholic Church continues to hold significant influence in the country.
“I cannot help but notice the weakening of the institution of the church, a withdrawal of specific social categories from Catholicism, and this hurts me,” said Bishop Wieslaw Mering, who attended the ceremony. “The history of Christianity has ups and downs but this place is a reminder that Mary won’t give up on Poland.”
