Christ statue in Brazil in the conflict between the church and the state

Von WOM

high up on the Corcovado mountain, the Christ statue is enthroned, an important symbol not only for religion and tourism, but also for Brazilian identity. The Brazilians call them Cristo Redentor and she is a postcard not only for the city of Rio de Janeiro, but for the entire country.

an impressive statue and its visitors

The wide -open arms of the statue that spread over 28 meters seem to be personally welcome to personally welcome the more than 3 million visitors who take their way to this impressive monument every year. But now the administration and future of the statue is at the center of a growing debate about religion, nature conservation and governance.

controversy around the administration

In October, a draft law was introduced that suggests the administration of the site on which the statue is located, to be transferred from the Federal Supervision to the Catholic Church. Proponents argue that church administration could solve existing infrastructure problems and access issues. Critics, on the other hand, see this a threat to the secular state of Brazil and its environmental obligations.

a monument in the national park

The Christ statue, which was built by the Catholic Church in 1922, is located in the Tijuca National Park, an extensive area of ​​3,953 hectares, which was recognized as one of the first large-scale reforestation projects in the world. The park was reforested again in the 19th century to alleviate the consequences of deforestation through coffee plantations. The Brazilian government founded the national park to preserve ecologically valuable ecosystems and to create a retreat for biological diversity. In 2012 he was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and today houses 1,619 plant species and 328 animal species, many of which are threatened.

The balance between tourism and nature conservation

Mauro Pires, President of the Brazilian National Parks and nature conservation authority ICMBIO, emphasizes: "This park is far more than just a backdrop for the speech. The park's attractions include panoramic viewpoints of the city, the Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, waterfalls and historical ruins. The park attracts both tourists and locals who come for hiking, cycling or for guided tours to enjoy the natural beauty of Rios. But the balance between tourism and nature conservation is particularly sensitive in highly frequented areas such as the Corcovado mountain.

cooperation between the church and state

The current arrangement shares the responsibilities between the church and the federal government. Although the statue is on state, the archdiocese has the special approval of keeping services at any time at the statue and in the adjacent chapel and is responsible for its maintenance, but not all -round for the infrastructure. The federal government monitors the entire park and its infrastructure - this includes streets, transport options, toilets, escalators and ticket sales to the statue (part of these income benefits according to a parking spokesman for the church).

prejudices against bureaucracy

This partnership has made it possible for the place to pass as a religious goal within a secular environment. Services, baptisms and weddings can be celebrated at the foot of Christ as long as the public continues to have access to the park during the visiting times. However, the Church and the Proponents of the Law believe that more should be done to use the monument's fame. Claudine Milione Dutra, legal coordinator of Rio de Janeiro's archdiocese, stated: "If a soap brand wants to renovate our bathroom and attach her name anywhere, why shouldn't she be able to do that?"

effects on nature conservation

Dutra argues that the bureaucracy at federal level hinders some needs for which it is currently responsible. When introducing the draft law in October, legislator escalators, toilets and drinking wells that were out of operation for months. "We cannot accept that Christ the Redeemer, Brazil's most famous landmark, remains in a neglected state," said Senator Carlos Portinho, who brought the draft law in the Senate. "The church has historically provided the statue and is best suited to manage it effectively."

Financial means for conservation measures

pires, the president of the national parking authority, admitted that repairs are necessary, but emphasized that privatizations are not the solution. Under the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro, the budgets for national parks were cut considerably and only now money is flowing back, said Pires. Many of the necessary renovations in the Tijuca or other national parks could not be carried out for this simple reason.

The future of the Christ statue

for 2025, however, the authority has planned 75 million BRL for renovations on the Corcovado mountain-including repairs to the foundation of the statue.

a dangerous precedent

According to the proposed law, the Church would take control of the statue and the immediate vicinity as well as through the infrastructure and thus be separated from the national park. Although this area would make up less than 0.02 % of the total area of ​​the park, the national parking authority warns that the proposal could create a dangerous precedent. "This is not just about the speech; it's about the integrity of all nature reserves in Brazil," said Pires. "Parts of the national parks for private administration could endanger progress in the environmental protection of recent decades."

The debate about the separation of church and state

The draft law - co -initiated by Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of the former president - has already been adopted in the Senate and is now being examined in a sub -committee for tourism. When he is approved there, he will be forwarded to the Brazilian House of Representatives. Whether the future of Christ will be in the Redeemer in the Church or the State or in a newly imagined cooperation will not only shape the role of this statue as a tourist attraction, but also its place in the cultural and environmental political narrative.