Following recent news that antennae had been mounted on the Świebodzin Christ statue, the tallest statue of Christ in the world, the area’s bishop has revealed he knew nothing of their installation, and has demanded they be removed.
The existence of the antennae were revealed by local journalists using drones, with authorities later claiming that the arrangement was to provide internet access to nearby villages. The local priest had initially responded to media scrutiny by explaining that there was an agreement with the internet provider which was legal and managed by the parish.
However, Father Andrzej Sapieha, spokesperson for the Diocesan Curia in Zielona Góra, released a statement in which he explained that the Curia and the media had been misled by the priest’s comments, as the arrangement had not been approved. He went on to say that aside from a hotspot near the Christ statue, there were no other gratuities for the parish in the agreement.
Bishop Tadeusz Lityński ordered the antenna to be removed by May 10, saying “their presence may hurt the sensitivity of many people, especially believers.”