Larger-than-life Leo statue awaits the pope on Peru’s Pacific coast
The 14-metre towering white statue of the pontiff, with arms stretched wide, in Callao is billed as the world's tallest sculpture of a pope.
A 14-meter-tall statue of Pope Leo XIV, depicting the pontiff with arms outstretched, awaits his arrival in Callao, Peru. The inauguration of the monument took place on Monday, just before Leo's final leg of his South American tour. The 71-year-old pope is in Peru for 12 days, visiting Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru for the first time as pope and to return to the region he once served as a missionary.
The inauguration drew hundreds of people wearing T-shirts featuring Leo and the message "Welcome home, Pope Leo." The crowd cheered as the statue was revealed, showcasing the fine details of Pope Leo's face, including a small mole above his upper lip. The 43-year-old sculptor, Rafael Gutiérrez, and 42-year-old Deyvi Wong, worked on the monument in just 45 days, studying close-up photos of Leo to capture every detail.
The monument stands as a symbol of peace for Callao, a port city with rising violent crime, and will be seen by millions of visitors during Leo's visit to Lima and Chiclayo.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Larger-than-life Leo statue awaits the pope on Peru’s Pacific coast freemalaysiatoday.com
