The 100-foot tall statue of Cristo redentor overlooks all of Rio de Janeiro

Emperor Dom Pedro II loved to climb the hill of Corcovado by donkey, but it didn’t become popular until he authorized the train line to the top in 1882.  The hill is 2,329 feet tall, and on hot days, it affords refreshing breezes.  We didn’t take the trenzinho when we visited Corcovado on July 15, but rode with our taxista, Marcos Antonio.   The views of the city from the top are magnificent, but the crowds were fascinating as well.

A family poses before the statue, extending their hands like Christ’s.

It was like Disneyland: throngs of people, old and young, families and couples, all snapping pictures of their loved ones with the Cristo in the background.  There were no overt displays of piety (even though a small chapel, beneath the foot of the statue, available for weddings).  The scene was animated and playful.  There was even a hang glider circling around the statue, riding the wind currents.  Religious images like the Cristo have an important place in piety and liturgy, but the statue over Rio is more than a religious image.  It is the symbol of the city, which is as famous for the Cristo as it is for Carnaval.  We couldn’t imagine a Cristo on the mall in Washington, D.C., but without the Cristo, Rio wouldn’t be Rio.

A hang-glider rode the wind currents around Corcovado.

What does it mean today for a religious statue to be the icon of a city?  The symbol of Christ transcends historical Christianity, perceived as an exclusive sect.  The Cristo means that God has taken human nature to be God’s own.  Yes, the image of Christ is weighed down with historical baggage.  But at least here, on Corocovado, it signifies a meeting between all humanity and God.  That was a good thought to take to Brasilia, our next destination.