105-foot statue of Jesus appears in Syria

In the middle of a brutal civil war, a bronze statue of Jesus has appeared on a Syrian mountain side. The 105-foot statue has taken eight years to complete, and stands on Mount Sednaya. Although its safety is not guaranteed, it has been in place for three weeks in an area where some Al-Qaida fighters have little sympathy for Christians. Syrian Christians believe that the second advent of Christ will happen on the mountain, on the route that pilgrims took from Jerusalem to Constantinople. Backers say it is there simply because ‘Jesus would have done it.’ The main armed groups in the area halted fire while organisers set up the statue, which was assembled from two pieces. Backers said it is there simply because ‘Jesus would have done it.’ The main armed groups in the area halted fire while organisers set up the statue which was assembled from two pieces. Smaller statues of Adam and Eve stand close to the work which was inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue. The project, called ‘I Have Come to Save the World’, is run by the London-based St. Paul and St. George Foundation, and was financed by private donors from across the globe. The plans were started in 2005, but were hit by many setbacks including the deaths of key backers and the 2011 uprising against President Assad. And for as long as it is there, the statue will offer some support to the region’s besieged Christians. Sunni Muslims dominate the revolt, and jihadists make up some of the strongest fighting groups. Other Muslim groups along with the 10 per cent Christian minority have stood largely with Assad’s government, or remained neutral. Churches have been vandalised, priests abducted and last month the extremists overran Maaloula, a Christian-majority town, so old that some of its people still speak a language from Jesus’ time.