THE 100-foot-tall statue of the Divine Mercy, the world’s tallest, will be unveiled in Bulacan province early next year, according to a World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (Wacom) official.
“This will be the biggest statue of the Divine Mercy around the world,” Wacom Asia Secretary General Fr. Prospero Tenorio said.
The statue stands atop a four-story multi-purpose building constructed at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Marilao, 24 kilometers north of Manila.
The construction of the huge Jesus statue was only started in January 2016 and is expected to be fully finished before the year ends.
Its blessing and unveiling will be held on January 19 as one of the highlights of the 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy to be held in the Philippines.
Tenorio said the statue aims to perpetuate the memory of the global Church event that will be held in Asia for the first time.
According to the priest, more than 5,000 local and international delegates will attend the global event from January 16 to 20.
The blessing and dedication of the statue will be held after a Mass to be presided over by Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal with Malolos Bishop Jose Oliveros as homilist.
Convened every three years, Wacom is a gathering of Divine Mercy devotees and promoters, among whom are bishops, priests, religious brothers and sisters, and laity from around the world.
Wacom Secretary General Fr. Patrice Chocholski said the Philippines is presenting the event as a “pilgrimage of mercy,” bringing the delegates to different holy places each day.
“I’m sure the delegates will find inspiration in the Philippines and find a missionary life here… and a paradigm for mission in the next years to come,” he said.
Introduced by the Vatican in 2008, the first ever Wacom in Rome coincided with the third death anniversary of St. John Paul II.
Chocholski said the Philippines since then was already among the countries with active, dependable participation in the event due to its great devotion to the Divine Mercy.
“In fact, during the first congress, many Filipinos were already present,” he said.
The founder of the “Fountains of Mercy” project that brings together Jewish and Muslim leaders in France arrived in Manila Saturday to visit the Wacom’s five different venues.
Aside from Malolos, the other venues include the Manila Cathedral, University of Santo Tomas, National Shrine of Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, and the Diocese of Balanga.