Latest news with #ChristtheRedeemer
a day ago
- General
Catholics call for environmental action at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue
RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazilian Catholic worshippers laid down an eco-friendly carpet in front of the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday and called for the protection of the environment ahead of UN climate talks in the Amazon. Tapestries are a fixture of the Corpus Christi religious feast when Catholics celebrate what they believe is the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This year, the colorful carpet was made from approximately 460 kilos (1,014 pounds) of recycled plastic caps. Over the past few years the Christ the Redeemer sanctuary has increasingly used the attention the iconic statue generates to spotlight environmental concerns. 'These caps could be polluting the environment. Today they're here as a carpet,' said Marcos Martins, environmental manager and educator at the sanctuary. 'It's the circular economy: we take the material, we're reusing it here and then we're going to reuse it again with an exhibition.' Just after day break and before the first flock of tourists arrived Thursday, Cardinal Orani João Tempesta led celebrations at the site overlooking Guanabara Bay and Rio's famed Sugarloaf mountain. The caps are 'a good reminder of our co-responsibility with ecology, of our concern for the environment, which are very characteristic of Christ the Redeemer,' Rio's archbishop told journalists. Thursday's celebration also paid homage to the late Pope Francis and his Laudato Si', a landmark environmental encyclical in which he cast care for the environment in stark moral terms. In the papal letter Francis called for a bold cultural revolution to correct what he said was a 'structurally perverse' economic system in which the rich exploited the poor, turning Earth into a pile of 'filth' in the process. 'The COP30 is coming up and we've just had the U.N. Ocean Conference. Nothing makes more sense than Christ being a great spokesperson for this issue,' said Carlos Lins, the sanctuary's marketing director. Earlier this month, the sanctuary held workshops, discussion groups and actions focusing on environmental preservation. The statue — perched on the Corcovado mountain -- is itself located in the Tijuca National Park. Brazil has been hit by a series of environmental disasters in recent years, including severe droughts in the Amazon, wildfires in the Pantanal and flooding in the south.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- General
- San Francisco Chronicle
Catholics call for environmental action at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian Catholic worshippers laid down an eco-friendly carpet in front of the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday and called for the protection of the environment ahead of UN climate talks in the Amazon. Tapestries are a fixture of the Corpus Christi religious feast when Catholics celebrate what they believe is the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This year, the colorful carpet was made from approximately 460 kilos (1,014 pounds) of recycled plastic caps. Over the past few years the Christ the Redeemer sanctuary has increasingly used the attention the iconic statue generates to spotlight environmental concerns. 'These caps could be polluting the environment. Today they're here as a carpet,' said Marcos Martins, environmental manager and educator at the sanctuary. 'It's the circular economy: we take the material, we're reusing it here and then we're going to reuse it again with an exhibition.' Just after day break and before the first flock of tourists arrived Thursday, Cardinal Orani João Tempesta led celebrations at the site overlooking Guanabara Bay and Rio's famed Sugarloaf mountain. The caps are 'a good reminder of our co-responsibility with ecology, of our concern for the environment, which are very characteristic of Christ the Redeemer,' Rio's archbishop told journalists. Thursday's celebration also paid homage to the late Pope Francis and his Laudato Si', a landmark environmental encyclical in which he cast care for the environment in stark moral terms. In the papal letter Francis called for a bold cultural revolution to correct what he said was a 'structurally perverse' economic system in which the rich exploited the poor, turning Earth into a pile of 'filth' in the process. 'The COP30 is coming up and we've just had the U.N. Ocean Conference. Nothing makes more sense than Christ being a great spokesperson for this issue,' said Carlos Lins, the sanctuary's marketing director. Earlier this month, the sanctuary held workshops, discussion groups and actions focusing on environmental preservation. The statue — perched on the Corcovado mountain -- is itself located in the Tijuca National Park. Brazil has been hit by a series of environmental disasters in recent years, including severe droughts in the Amazon, wildfires in the Pantanal and flooding in the south. This week heavy rains killed at least two people in the southern region Rio Grande do Sul, just over a year after it was hit by the worst flooding on record.
Toronto Star
a day ago
- General
- Toronto Star
Catholics call for environmental action at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian Catholic worshippers laid down an eco-friendly carpet in front of the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday and called for the protection of the environment ahead of UN climate talks in the Amazon. Tapestries are a fixture of the Corpus Christi religious feast when Catholics celebrate what they believe is the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Catholics call for environmental action at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian Catholic worshippers laid down an eco-friendly carpet in front of the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday and called for the protection of the environment ahead of UN climate talks in the Amazon. Tapestries are a fixture of the Corpus Christi religious feast when Catholics celebrate what they believe is the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This year, the colorful carpet was made from approximately 460 kilos (1,014 pounds) of recycled plastic caps. Over the past few years the Christ the Redeemer sanctuary has increasingly used the attention the iconic statue generates to spotlight environmental concerns. 'These caps could be polluting the environment. Today they're here as a carpet,' said Marcos Martins, environmental manager and educator at the sanctuary. 'It's the circular economy: we take the material, we're reusing it here and then we're going to reuse it again with an exhibition.' Just after day break and before the first flock of tourists arrived Thursday, Cardinal Orani João Tempesta led celebrations at the site overlooking Guanabara Bay and Rio's famed Sugarloaf mountain. The caps are 'a good reminder of our co-responsibility with ecology, of our concern for the environment, which are very characteristic of Christ the Redeemer,' Rio's archbishop told journalists. Thursday's celebration also paid homage to the late Pope Francis and his Laudato Si', a landmark environmental encyclical in which he cast care for the environment in stark moral terms. In the papal letter Francis called for a bold cultural revolution to correct what he said was a 'structurally perverse' economic system in which the rich exploited the poor, turning Earth into a pile of 'filth' in the process. 'The COP30 is coming up and we've just had the U.N. Ocean Conference. Nothing makes more sense than Christ being a great spokesperson for this issue,' said Carlos Lins, the sanctuary's marketing director. Earlier this month, the sanctuary held workshops, discussion groups and actions focusing on environmental preservation. The statue — perched on the Corcovado mountain — is itself located in the Tijuca National Park. Brazil has been hit by a series of environmental disasters in recent years, including severe droughts in the Amazon, wildfires in the Pantanal and flooding in the south. This week heavy rains killed at least two people in the southern region Rio Grande do Sul, just over a year after it was hit by the worst flooding on record. Scientists say extreme weather is happening more frequently due to human-caused climate change. ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
Miami Herald
13-06-2025
- Miami Herald
Tourists roast White House, Grand Canyon, Statue of Liberty and more
By Ben Barry Some of the US's most famous tourist spots have been slammed in online reviews, with the Statue of Liberty dismissed as a "poor man's Redeemer" and the White House dubbed a "dump for Trump". Millions flock to the States' top attractions every year - but it appears not all are impressed. Sites like the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore have all come in for criticism on the online review site TripAdvisor. For example, a recent visitor to the Washington Monument said it was "shorter than expected" - and a "boring gray color". They suggested that "they should add lighting, make it more interesting." Another reviewer said the Monument was "too tall, I hurt my neck looking at it" and rated it 0/10 - warning other people it was a "horrible place to go". Meanwhile, another tourist seemed annoyed that the Statue of Liberty - one of the most recognizable sights in the world - had been gifted to the USA. They said, "I am not going that far to see a French building." Another tourist described the iconic statue as a "poor man's Christ the Redeemer" - comparing the Statue of Liberty to the 38-meter-tall statue of Jesus that stands on top of the Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The sightseer added: "Long queue just to get through the security, and then queue again to get on the boat. "Usual tourists just stopped everywhere to take selfies and walk really slowly. "The statue is not as impressive compared to Christ the Redeemer." The White House, currently occupied by Donald Trump, was also not a fan favorite. Tourists hit out and its heavy-handed security and perimeter fences keeping people away. One tourist compared the White House to former wrestler John Cena, who is known for the trademark line "you can't see me". They said: "The White House is like John Cena… You just can't see it. "Between the crowds and the fencing, it's very challenging to see the White House at all. "It was probably one of the least impressive things I saw while in DC." Another tourist said it was "heavily guarded" and "too small". Adding: "This heavily guarded house for Trump is a dump - don't waste your time." The Grand Canyon National Park attracts around six million visitors a year, making it the second most visited national park in the US. Despite its high tourist numbers, some visitors are less than impressed, with one calling it "the big hole in the ground". One person said, "Honestly, the desert is all just dirt, so that was no surprise, but the way everybody talks about the Grand Canyon. "I thought there'd be some stuff to do there, or at least something to do. "Oh yeah, that's right…You can walk around on the dirt and look at the giant gaping hole in the ground, and take pictures of the dirt. "Big whoop. Not even worth the drive." One tourist said it was "pretty cool," - but there was too much canyon. "They said: "A bit much though, maybe less canyon next time would be better if you guys can fix that." Finally, Mount Rushmore depicts the faces of former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The site attracts more than two million visitors a year - but one said rock face wasn't "diverse enough", adding: "It might as well be a cast of Friends." Another tourist was shocked to find that a "perfectly good mountain was ruined to create this." They said: "The Barbie version my niece showed me was miles better, and did not ruin the environment by creating the absolute eyesore that is the real Mount Rushmore." The post Tourists roast White House, Grand Canyon, Statue of Liberty and more appeared first on Talker. Copyright Talker News. All Rights Reserved.
