Manila, the world's tallest monument of the Divine Mercy
The 30-metre statue of Jesus will stand in the Marialo national shrine, north of Manila. The inauguration and blessing are scheduled for 19 January 2017, during the 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM). The event will draw 5,000 local and international delegates.
Manila (AsiaNews/CBCP) – At about 30 metres, the world’s tallest statute of the Divine Mercy will be unveiled in Bulacan province, north of Manila.
The construction of the huge Jesus statue started in January 2016, during the Jubilee of Mercy inaugurated by Pope Francis, and is expected to be fully finished before the end of the year.
The Filipino Church is set to inaugurate the new monument on 19 January 2017, as the highlight of the 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM), which is being held in the Asian country.
The statue is meant to perpetuate the memory of the global Church event that will be held in Asia for the first time, said WACOM Asia Secretary General Fr Prospero Tenorio at a press briefing in Manila on Thursday.
The clergyman expects more than 5,000 local and international delegates to attend the congress (16-20 January 2017). Its main theme is ‘Communion in Mercy; Mission for Mercy (Called by mercy, sent for mercy)’.
Activities will be spread across various days with the blessing and dedication of the monument taking place after the Mass on 19 January led by Card Ricardo Vidal, archbishop emeritus of Cebu.
WACOM Secretary General Fr Patrice Chocholski said that the Philippines is presenting the event as a “pilgrimage of mercy” bringing the delegates to different holy places each day.
Introduced by the Vatican in 2008, the first WACOM was held in Rome to coincide with the third death anniversary of St. John Paul II.
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