The Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro has launched a fundraising campaign to repair the famed statue of Christ the Redeemer.“Christ the Redeemer, with his open arms, is the greatest showcase for Rio and Brazil,” said Cardinal Orani João Tempesta.
The statue is struck by lightning an average of six times per year, causing cracks that are leading to the statue’s deterioration.
The shrine is located in a national park, but receives no money from park admissions fees, the archdiocese emphasized in a January 11 statement.