World’s Largest Statue of Our Lady of Fatima Unveiled in Brazil

Brazil, Nov 17, 2025: The world’s tallest statue of Our Lady of Fatima was inaugurated on 13 November in Crato, Brazil, rising 177 feet — the height of a 15-storey building. The monument stands prominently across the vast urban plain, symbolising the region’s deep Marian devotion. Constructed with a polyurethane interior and fibreglass exterior finished with resin, gel coating and specialised paint, the statue was created in multiple sections, transported to Crato and assembled like an intricate 3D puzzle. More than 30 professionals worked for nearly 17 months to complete the structure.

The inauguration drew thousands of pilgrims and civic leaders. Bishop Magnus Henrique Lopes said the new monument renews Fatima’s call to conversion and peace, urging the faithful to cultivate inner peace that radiates outward into the world. National officials, including Minister of Education Camilo Santana, described the moment as an invitation to foster fraternity, compassion and just decision-making.

A new sanctuary has been constructed around the statue, featuring facilities for pilgrims, pastoral services and a replica of the Chapel of the Apparitions in Fatima, Portugal. The unveiling also marked the return of the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Fatima to Crato, 72 years after its historic first visit in 1953 — an event that sparked a devotion that still shapes the city’s parishes, neighbourhoods and institutions.

Brazilian sculptor Ranilson Viana, known for lifelike religious works, created the monumental image with a team of specialists. Raised in poverty and nurtured by a grandmother devoted to Our Lady of Fatima, Viana said the project was “a form of prayer in motion”. He discovered his vocation during personal hardship and now aims to inspire faith through his sculptures. Creating the world’s largest Fatima statue, he said, was an act of gratitude — one he hopes will strengthen the faith of all who encounter it.

Courtesy: NCR