Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro Pays Tribute to Filipino Frontliners

(Photos Courtesy of Renato Saraiva)

RIO DE JANEIRO 12 April 2020 — In a rare display, the iconic Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) statue in Rio de Janeiro, a UNESCO World Heritage landmark, was “dressed up” as a physician wearing a lab coat during a light and sound show held last Easter Sunday to honor health professionals around the world battling the dreaded COVID-19.

In a special greeting to all Filipino medical workers and other frontliners, the words “Salamat” and “Pag-asa” were flashed at particular moments of the show.

Cardinal Don Orani João Tempesta, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, said that the special Easter show wishes to convey "a message of hope and encouragement during this delicate moment of the world pandemic."

The Archbishop later presided over the Consecration of Brazil at the foot of the statue, an event that had occurred only once, at the inauguration of the Christ the Redeemer statue in 1931.

Fr. Carlos Augusto Azevedo da Silva, Parish Vicar of the Holy Spirit and St. John the Baptist Parish in Maracana, reflected on the event: “We look at the Christ and see from Him, so many exhausted health professionals and sick, many others, dead, in this world war against this little known virus, intensely studied, but that still fills us with doubts and uncertainties. They were not only Brazilian doctors, but they were The Redeemer who embraces the world—the Chinese, Italians, Spanish, Americans, Africans, Indians, French, English, Australians, Japanese, Koreans, in short, all nationalities were represented there and were, by Him, and also by us, embraced,” he said.

Prior to Easter Sunday, the flags of 159 countries which then had confirmed COVID-19 cases, including the Philippines, were flashed at the statue on 18 March 2020. END

For more information, visit  https://www.brasiliape.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philembassybrasilia.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBrazil/.