As was to be expected there was a New Zealand media frenzy over the completion of the giant Jesus in Poland. After all, it's the biggest statue of God’s son ever to be erected and images of the giant Jesus head being bolted to the giant Jesus shoulders were dramatic enough to even warrant a good spot on the evening TV news.
But did we get background information and pics of the other GJ’s dominating horizons around the world? No, we did not. For that kind of depth you don’t rely on journalists, you reach out to Google.
And the nominations for giant Jesus in a permanent material are from the top, Poland’s 33 meter high (51 meters if you count the mound it is on, and the Poles do) with and without its head attached, Bolivia’s entry at Cochabamba and another big American GJ in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro at 38 meters high is way up there and Indonesia’s horse in the race is the 30 meter high Jesus on the island of Manado. Not really a sculpture but a nifty giant Jesus mural on the Biola University campus in La Mirada California begged to be included, and finally the giant King of Kings in Cincinnati which came in at 19 meters, and that was just for the upper torso. Regrettably it was struck by lightning in June this year and, being made of polystyrene and fibreglass, dutifully burst into flames and was destroyed.
