As Catholics around the world celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15, a small village in Poland will mark the feast with the unveiling and consecration of a monumental new tribute to Mary.
Rising 55.6 meters (about 182 feet) above the countryside near Konotopie, the statue is expected to become the tallest Marian monument in Europe. Bishop Krzysztof Wętkowski will consecrate the structure following approximately a year and a half of construction.
The monument features a 40.8-meter (about 134 feet) statue of the Blessed Virgin set atop a 15-meter (about 49 feet) pedestal designed in the form of a crown. The figure itself is roughly two meters (about 6.5 feet) taller than Rio de Janeiro’s well-known Christ the Redeemer statue.
Though it is set to hold the European record, the statue will not be the tallest representation of Mary worldwide. That distinction belongs to the Mother of All Asia — Tower of Peace in Batangas City, Philippines, which measures 322 feet.
The statue was funded by Mr. Karkosik, one of the wealthiest people in Poland, and his wife as an extraordinary testament of faith and devotion. While the final cost has not been publicly confirmed, estimates have placed the project at about 23 million euros, or $26.5 million.
The Karkosiks selected the site in part because it stands near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows, a long-standing local pilgrimage destination known for a wooden Marian image associated with reported healings and favors. The sanctuary has drawn the faithful since the 19th century and was rebuilt and expanded in 2011 with support from the Karkosiks.