Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Pope offers blessing for "Christ of the Pacific" statue in Lima

Peruvian president Alan García attended the event Friday morning in which Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani blessed the "Christ of the Pacific," at the Morro Solar in Lima's seaside Chorrillos district.

Pope Benedict XVI sent a "special apostolic blessing" for the ceremony, through a letter addressed to Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, in which the Pope encouraged all Peruvians to grow in the love of God, Andina reports.

The letter closed by saying, "With these sentiments, and such an offering of abundant heavenly gifts, the Pope affectionately imparts a special Apostolic Blessing to you with pleasure to extend to the beloved sons and daughters of the noble Peruvian nation."

The 37-meter-high statue features a lighting system with 26 different colors that will light up the capital city's coastline at night.

“I want it to be a statue that blesses Peru and protects Lima,” said García in recent statements.