A 55.6-metre statue of the Virgin Mary, believed to be the tallest of its kind in Europe, was inaugurated Saturday in a small Polish village in the presence of former Polish President and anti-communist icon Lech Walesa.
Hundreds of people attended the consecration ceremony in Konotopie, a central Polish village with fewer than 150 residents.
Priests in white robes celebrated Mass as helicopters dropped small red roses over the gathering. The ceremony also featured performances of traditional Polish music and dance by the renowned Mazowsze folk ensemble.
The statue rises 55.6 metres (182 feet) above the village, including a 15-metre crown-shaped pedestal.
It is taller than Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer, which stands about 38 metres including its pedestal, and also exceeds Poland’s Christ the King monument in Swiebodzin, which reaches roughly 52 metres including the mound beneath it.
A larger statue of the Virgin Mary, measuring about 98 metres, stands in the Philippines. However, the newly unveiled monument in Poland is believed to be Europe’s tallest statue of Mary.
Walesa, 82, who led Poland’s anti-communist movement as head of the Solidarity trade union, attended the inauguration from the front row.
“I started with the Virgin Mary and I end with the Virgin Mary,” Walesa told The Associated Press, reflecting on the causes he has championed throughout his life, including democracy and Catholicism.
During his years leading the Solidarity movement, Walesa was known for wearing a pin depicting the Black Madonna and has frequently spoken about the role of his Catholic faith in his opposition to communist rule.
Catholicism has traditionally played a major role in Polish public life. The country is home to St John Paul II, who served as pope from 1978 until his death in 2005.
However, the influence of the Catholic Church has declined in recent years, particularly among younger people and urban residents. The Church remains especially influential in rural areas and among older generations.
Bishop Wieslaw Mering, who attended the ceremony, said he was concerned about the declining influence of the Church and the growing number of people moving away from Catholicism.
He said the history of Christianity has experienced both periods of strength and decline, but described the new monument as a reminder of the enduring role of the Virgin Mary in Poland.
The monument was commissioned and financed by Polish entrepreneurs Roman and Grazyna Karkosik, who live in a nearby palace.
Roman Karkosik built his fortune through business ventures and investments on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and became one of Poland’s wealthiest people.
The couple said they built the monument as an expression of gratitude to God.
Grazyna Karkosik said the statue was intended for everyone and expressed hope that visitors would use the experience to reflect on their lives as well as their faith.
Local authorities hope the monument will attract pilgrims and tourists to the small village. A viewing platform has been built inside the statue’s pedestal, adding a tourist attraction to the religious site.
