Kenneth Glad
The 55.6-metre monument has given a central Polish community an extraordinary new landmark. Its inauguration brought hundreds of worshippers and prominent guests to Konotopie.
Konotopie, home to fewer than 150 people, now stands beneath a Virgin Mary statue believed to be the tallest in Europe, according to The Guardian. The structure includes a 15-metre, crown-shaped pedestal with a viewing platform.
Businessman Roman Karkosik and his wife, Grażyna, financed the project. Karkosik built his fortune through business ventures and Warsaw stock exchange investments before becoming one of Poland’s wealthiest individuals.
The couple have linked the monument to their religious faith. Grażyna Karkosik told the newspaper: “The statue will be for all people.” She added: “Each of us coming to see it will think more deeply about their own lives, not only about God.”
The world’s tallest Virgin Mary statue stands in the Philippines, where the Mother of All Asia monument reaches 98.15 metres. The new statue in Konotopie is considerably shorter at 55.6 metres, but is believed to be the tallest of its kind in Europe.
Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro measures 38 metres, while the Christ the King monument in the Polish town of Świebodzin reaches 52.5 metres when its mound is included.
Faith shapes the occasion
Hundreds gathered for Saturday’s consecration. Priests celebrated Mass, Mazowsze performed traditional Polish music, and helicopters scattered miniature red roses over the crowd.
Lech Wałęsa, 82, attended from the front row. The Solidarity leader received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and later served as Poland’s president. “This is the end of my path,” he said. “I started with the Virgin Mary and I end with the Virgin Mary.”
Wałęsa has long connected his political struggle with his Catholic beliefs and was known for wearing a Black Madonna pin during the Solidarity era. The Church itself gained considerable standing through its support for opposition to communist rule.
Retired Bishop Wiesław Mering also addressed contemporary religious change, The Guardian reported. “I cannot help but notice the weakening of the institution of the church, a withdrawal of specific social categories from Catholicism, and this hurts me. The history of Christianity has ups and downs, but this place is a reminder that Mary won’t give up on Poland.”
For a village of fewer than 150 people, the monument could become a significant draw. Local authorities hope pilgrims and tourists will come to Konotopie to see the statue and use its viewing platform.
Sources: The Guardian
