Christ the Redeemer statue lit up as doctor to honor frontline medical workers during coronavirus pandemic
The iconic Christ the Redeemer statue perched atop Mount Corcovado is an omnipresent symbol of faith overlooking Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On Easter Sunday, one of the holiest days of the year for Christians, the statue not only immortalized Jesus, but paid homage to medical workers battling the coronavirus across the globe. Lights projected a medical outfit onto the statue, transforming the depiction of Jesus into a doctor.
The statue appeared to wear a stethoscope and white lab coat as the words "thank you," written in different languages, flashed across him. "Obrigado," "merci," "grazie," "danke," the projection read, offering thanks to the millions of medical workers selflessly battling the pandemic around the world.
The projection then showed images of real health care workers in their own scrubs. "Fique em casa," the projection read — "Stay at home."
People around the world have been asked to stay at home as part of social distancing measures now proven to help slow the spread of the deadly virus. Many countries have been placed under nationwide lockdowns because of the virus, while all but six U.S. states have issued stay-at-home orders.
The coronavirus has killed 1,241 people in Brazil alone. The U.S., which has become the hardest hit country, has 557,663 coronavirus cases and 22,116 total deaths, according to Johns Hopkins. The global crisis has stretched the staff of hospitals around the world thin.
The Christ the Redeemer statue has been lit up previously in a show of solidarity with specific countries affected by the pandemic. In March, "Praying together" was projected in multiple languages across the 125-foot-tall iconic statue.
On Easter Sunday, the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Dom Orani Tempesta, gave a Mass at the landmark and to paid tribute to medical workers during the pandemic.