The “Jesus Christ the Saviour” statue in Sumatra, Indonesia, has recently gained world-wide recognition as the tallest statue of Jesus, surpassing the iconic Christ the Redeemer (38-meter, 125-foot) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Officially inaugurated on 19th September 2024, this 61-meter (200-foot) tall statue overlooks Toba Lake* from Sibeabea Hill in the Samosir Regency of North Sumatra. The statue stands >20 meters (66-foot) taller than its Brazilian counterpart, making it a new global landmark.
This statue was designed to be a symbol of faith and inclusivity, with Jesus depicted with open arms, symbolizing his embrace of all people. On 6th September 2024, Pope Francis himself blessed a miniature version of the statue during a special event at the Vatican Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Pope also signed a prayer plate now placed at the statue’s base which echo the words: “What is admired about Jesus the Saviour is his infinite love.”
Bishop Antonius Subianto Bunjamin, President of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, led the inauguration ceremony (19th September 2024), which celebrated Indonesia’s commitment to inter-faith harmony despite its Muslim-majority demographics.
The statue’s location is significant as North Sumatra has a large Christian population, including over a million Catholics and four million Protestants (total of 5 million representing one-third of the total population of 15 million in Sumatra). The site is expected to draw both tourists and pilgrims, creating a space for spiritual reflection amid the natural beauty of Toba Lake and the surrounding hills.
[*Lake Toba, located on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, is a massive volcanic lake formed by a super-volcanic eruption about 74,000 years ago. This eruption, known as the Toba super-eruption, is one of the most powerful volcanic events in the Earth’s history. The eruption ejected massive amounts of volcanic ash and gas into the atmosphere, spreading ash as far as South Asia and contributing to a global volcanic winter that might have impacted global climate and human populations.
The eruption left behind a caldera – a large, sunken crater that eventually filled with water, forming Lake Toba. Today, Lake Toba is not only the largest lake in South-East Asia but also one of the deepest in the world, measuring approximately 1,145 square kilometres (442 square miles) in area and reaching depths of up to 505 meters (1,660 feet). In the centre of the lake lies Samosir Island, which was created by up-lift from the caldera floor and is a unique feature among volcanic lakes world-wide. The unique creation of Samosir Island is referred to as, “an island within an island”!
Lake Toba’s formation highlights the immense power of volcanic activity and its potential impact on global climate, as the eruption likely contributed to a period of cooling that lasted several years, affecting eco-systems and possibly influencing human migration patterns].
Articles of interest:
Chinese Brother of Jesus
Cao Đài – Fascinating Religion
Temple of All Religions: Uniting 16 Faiths
Borobudor – the world’s largest archaeological Buddhist Temple
Bagan – the “Sea of Temples”
Banteay Srei & Ta Prohm: Timeless Allure
Keep in touch with future tours to South-East Asia here.
Article by Andy Khong
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