Monroe Fire Chief Mark Neu said the fire spread to an amphitheater next to the statue but was confined to the attic area. Others, including the Solid Rock Church Pastor Darlene Bishop who proclaimed the statue made people 'remember Jesus or at least think about Jesus'. Some say this was a fitting end to a sacrilegious statue of Jesus named the "King of Kings," but renamed by locals here as Touchdown Jesus and Big Butter Jesus. Giant Jesus Statue Destroyed by Lightning and Fire. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.Giant Jesus Statue Destroyed by Lightning and Fire This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. MCCORD: That same message is written on the big electronic billboard on the highway, but until that happens, for many motorists all up and down I-75, the view just won't be the same.įor NPR News, I'm Emily McCord in Yellow Springs, Ohio.Ĭopyright © 2010 NPR. So he's like the Arnold Schwarzenegger in "The Terminator." He's saying: I'll be back. NORRIS: It represented something, and it was, like, not something that people worship, but it just represents freedom.
Pastor Bishop says he's already receiving contributions to rebuild the massive statue. Total damages could top one and a half million dollars.
MCCORD: The original statue cost about $250,000 to construct, but the fire also damaged an adjacent building. MCCORD: Lawrence Bishop is the church's pastor, but he doesn't read anything into last night's strike. NORRIS: Jesus has been sacrificing himself for the church for a very long time now and he's still doing it. MCCORD: Mason Fozier(ph) attends Solid Rock Church, and he believes last night's lightning strike saved his church from serious damage. I was, like, God, I don't know what you're doing. He can, like wield lightning as crazy as it was last night and the thunder, and then this morning, I woke up, and I had a text message saying Touchdown Jesus burnt to the ground. NORRIS: It was funny, 'cause I was actually talking to my husband last night, and I was like man, God is so powerful. Though a lot of people make fun of it, to some, like Lauren Burba(ph), it was no joking matter. Facebook has a webpage devoted to it with over 30,000 fans. MCCORD: The statue was a well-known landmark in these parts. I mean, it's always catching your eye because it's big and it's right there. I mean, you see it every time we drive past it. MCCORD: Eva Godsy(ph) was one of many who stopped by the church today to survey the damage. NORRIS: It looks like twigs and sticks, pretty much just a frame. It was nearly impossible to miss, and locals nicknamed it Touchdown Jesus because of the way the statue's arms are raised to the sky.
Just out front of the church was a 62-foot statue of Jesus that appeared to be rising from the earth. On I-75, between Cincinnati and Dayton, a towering, six-story statue of Jesus made out of fiberglass and Styrofoam was struck by lightning.Īs Emily McCord of member station WYSO reports, it burned to the ground.ĮMILY MCCORD: Nearly 100,000 people drive past the stretch of highway by the Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio, every day.
A fierce storm in southwestern Ohio last night brought an end, at least for now, to a religious highway icon.
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