Lightning strike destroys monumental statue of Christ in Mexico
The 33-meter Christ the Fisher sculpture was located in La Concordia in the Mexican state of Chiapas. / Credit: Christ the Fisherman of Concord ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 14, 2023 / 16:20 pm (CNA).
The 108-foot-tall sculpture of Christ the Fisher located in La Concordia in the Mexican state of Chiapas was completely burned down after being struck by lightning Sept. 10.
Hours after the incident, the Secretariat for Civil Protection and the local municipal police went to the scene to assess the damage. “Due to the impact of lightning and combustible material, fire spread in its structure; it collapsed and burned,” Civil Protection reported on Facebook.
Señor de la Misericordia (Lord of Mercy) Parish said in a statement sent to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that the “sacred image” was more than a symbol, because “for years it was representing and strengthening the faith of our people.”
La madrugada del sábado, un rayo cayó sobre el Cristo Pescador de La Concordia, en Chiapas, lo que provocó un fuerte incendio en su estructura. pic.twitter.com/cMY9SGZGrj
— David Ordaz (@david_ordaz) September 10, 2023
After lamenting the accident, the parish expressed its desire that other “works and projects” be carried out for “the common good” and the “comprehensive growth” of the town.
Consulted by ACI Prensa, the authorities indicated that the decision to replace the statue had not yet been made.
Christ the Fisher
Christ the Fisher was erected by the Peruvian sculptor Pedro Víctor Cuya Ramos. Its construction began in 2014 and six years later the work was completed, financed with various donations.
Inside the statue were stairs that rose to the eyes of Christ, from where visitors could see the city of La Concordia and a large part of the La Angostura Dam, where the residents often fish.
The monument was 33 meters tall (12 at the base and another 21 for the statue), which,according to Cuya Ramos, symbolized the years that Jesus lived on earth.
“For many years it was the tallest [image of Christ] not only in Mexico but also in many parts of the world. Today La Concordia and the people of Concordia remember with nostalgia the image and photographs of it, [all] that remains of its imposing and grand size,” the sculptor told ACI Prensa.
Mexican media Vanguardia reported that the sculpture was made of fiberglass. Although not flammable, it can melt at 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
