If you travel around Latin America long enough, you’ll eventually come to Jesus. It seems like every time you draw back the curtains to enjoy the view from your hotel room, there’s a gigantic statue of Jesus Christ topping a nearby hill, arms outstretched in the I-love-you-this-much position.
There are dozens of these towering statues scattered throughout Central and South America. How did this become a thing and why? If they were inspired by religious devotion, why do the guidebooks note that many were financed by business people, civic groups and taxpayers, instead of the local church?
With these questions in mind and time on my hands because of the Great Pandemic, I did some research on seven of Latin America’s most famous statues of Jesus, and I discovered that not all Christs were created equal.
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The most famous of this statue genre (though not the first!) is Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. First proposed in the 1850s but not completed until 1931, the 98 foot tall statue quickly became the city’s iconic landmark, much like New York’s Statue of Liberty. The statue averages two million visitors a year, most making the pilgrimage by way of a train. Considering that train tickets average $15 USD and the statue originally cost about $3.6 million in 2019 dollars, Rio clears tens of millions every year from ticket sales alone. There are also onsite vendors selling food, drinks, and all manner of statue memorabilia. This Jesus doesn’t just redeem this notoriously wicked city, he rakes in the dough for Rio.
Cristo Blanco in Cusco, Peru
At the end of World War II, a colony of Arab Palestinians fleeing what would become the state of Israel, sought refuge in Cusco, Peru. In appreciation for taking them in, the Palestinians presented the city with Cristo Blanco in 1945. The statue stands in front of Saqsaywaman, the historic Incan fortified complex above the city.
Cristo Rey in Guanajuato, Mexico
In the 1940’s Mexico installed Cristo Rey (Christ the King) in what was determined to be the geographic center of Mexico: Guanajuato. The statue commemorates the end of a dark chapter in Mexican history, the Cristero War, a violent early 20th century conflict between the Mexican government and the Catholic church. At 75 feet in height, this statue became the world’s tallest bronze of Jesus. The base includes a basilica where services are held.
Cristo Rey in Cali, Colombia
In 1953, the Colombians said “Sostenga mi cerveza,” (hold my beer) and inaugurated their own Cristo Rey in Cali, slightly taller than the one in Mexico. The statue commemorates the end of their War of a Thousand Days, a bloody conflict between liberals and conservatives that devastated Colombia geographically, politically and economically in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The monument includes a series of reliefs sculpted into the three miles of ravines that lead to the statue, chapel, and restaurant. About 300,000 people visit the site each year.
Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba, Bolivia
Coming in at 112 feet and 2,200 tons, the massive Cristo de la Concordia (Christ of Peace) was the tallest Jesus statue in the world when it was completed in 1994 outside Cochabamba, Bolivia (Poland’s Pomnik Chrystusa Króla currently holds the title). The statue was financed by parishioners and local community institutions. Modeled on Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue, visitors can climb the interior stairs on Sundays and enjoy the views along the way and from observation decks inside the arms.
Cristo del Pacifico in Lima, Peru
One of the latest entries to this collection is Cristo del Pacifico (Christ of the Pacific) in Lima, Peru. The statue is a relatively restrained 72 feet tall and is notable because it was financed through a 2011 donation from grateful Brazilian companies for work done by outgoing Peruvian President Alan García. Garcia later shot himself as police officers were preparing to arrest him on charges that he took bribes from a Brazilian construction company.
Christ the Redeemer of the Andes between Chile and Argentina
The first and arguably most meaningful of Latin America’s Jesus statues is the Cristo Redentor de los Andes (Christ the Redeemer of the Andes), which was unveiled in 1904 to mark the end of the then recent war between Chile and Argentina. Supposedly made from melted weaponry after peace was declared in 1902, the 23 foot tall statue was shipped to the remote Andean border location in pieces and made its final ascent to the 13,800 foot mountain by mules. The steep and windy road to the statue is accessible only during the summer months when there is no snow. Translated into English, the inscription on the base reads: “Sooner shall these mountain crags crumble to dust than Chile and Argentina shall break this peace which at the feet of Christ the Redeemer they have sworn to maintain.”
Jesus means different things to different people, so it makes sense that giant statues of him run the gamut as well: devotional destination, war memorial, Instagram opportunity. But wherever you travel in Latin American, don’t be surprised to find Jesus welcoming you with open arms.