Christ the Redeemer statue turns 84

The statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro turned 84 Monday (Oct. 12). The anniversary celebrations began early in the morning with a blessing of the city of Rio de Janeiro from Cardinal Dom Orani Tempesta, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro. Then a thanks giving mass was celebrated for the monument, followed by performances by a local orchestra and a Danish choir.

The Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro took the opportunity to launch a mobile app called Minuto da Fé, designed to help priests and faithful communicate and provide information on the local parishes.

Christ the Redeemer was unveiled in 1931, on the top of the Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest. The sculpture was designed by engineer Heitor da Silva Costa and painter Carlos Oswald, sculpted by French artist Paul Landowski in collaboration with structural engineer Albert Caquot, also from France. Beginning in 1926, it took five years to mount the monument onto the top of the hill.

Made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, the statue is 30 meters tall, in addition to an 8-meter pedestal that houses the chapel of Our Lady of Aparecida. Arm span length is 29.6 meters. Like the Statue of Liberty in New York and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Christ the Redeemer is one of the world's best-known landmarks and an icon for both Brazil and Rio de Janeiro.

Translated by Mayra Borges