There are several underwater statues of Jesus Christ in the world. They were installed so that divers and divers could offer prayers without leaving the water depths. These attractions bring considerable profit, because they attract thousands of tourists who want to look at the underwater miracle.
Maltese Christ
The author of the famous Maltese statue is Alfred Camilleri Cauchi. The sculpture was commissioned by local divers in honor of the first visit to the island by Pope John Paul II. It is said that the idea of creating a stone figure of Jesus Christ belonged to Jacques Yves Cousteau, who lost his first scientific vessel in this region. The cost of this work of art was about 1, 000 Maltese lire.
The weight of the statue is 13 tons. Standing at the bottom, Jesus stretches his arms to the light, asking the Eternal Blessing for all who are deep down. The statue was originally recessed in 1990 near the islands of St. Paul. However, the gigantic sculpture soon changed its location. Due to nearby fish farms, water quality began to deteriorate, and divers were less likely to visit these places. In 2000, the stone Jesus Christ was lifted using a crane and moved to a more convenient place, located 2 kilometers from the coast.
Italian sculpture
Another statue of Jesus Christ is located near the Italian coast, at Cape Portofino. It was installed in 1954. During this time, more than 2 million divers made a dive at the cape. In this region, unusually clear and transparent water, and the sculpture of the Savior is perfectly visible to those who dive with scuba diving. The bay, at the bottom of which the attraction is located, from ancient times belongs to the abbey of San Fruttuoso founded in the 5th century.
The Italian statue has a relatively small size: its height is about 2.5 meters. This work of art was created by the master Guido Galleti on the idea filed by the diver Dulio Marcante. The diver spent a lot of time under water, meditated there and once came to the conclusion that the underwater world should also be sanctified by the presence of the image of God. The place was not chosen by chance: it was in the bay of San Fruttuoso that Dulio Marcante's best friend, Dario Gonzatti, died.
