Giant statue of Jesus completed in Poland

A giant statue of Jesus has been completed in Swiebodzin, western Poland.

The statue is 33m tall – one metre for each year Jesus lived - but rises to 51m high if the large mound it sits on is included. Local officials say it is the tallest statue of Jesus in the world.

Comparisons have been made with the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which rises 38m, and the Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba, which is just over 40m tall.

In a similar fashion, the Polish statue is chiselled from soft white stone and shows Jesus with his arms outstretched. A distinctive feature is the golden crown that adorns his head.

The statue’s construction was spearheaded by local priest Sylvester Zawadzki but has been greeted with criticism by some locals.

According to the BBC, some residents believe the donations which financed the statue should have been spent on social projects instead.