Statue of St. John Paul II at Notre Dame is 'gift of the Russian people'

October 31, 2014

A bronze statue of St. John Paul II has been placed in the gardens of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, as “gift of the Russian people.”

Sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, the president of the Russian Art Academy, said that the statue, which stands nearly 12 feet tall, shows the character of the Polish Pontiff as a man who “reflects the tragedy and contradictory character of the 20th century,” and a spiritual leader “who personified universal conscience.”

 

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Further information:

• Russian sculptor Tsereteli to open a monument to John Paul II at Notre-Dame de Paris (Interfax)