Lebanon’s Maronite Christian Church inaugurated a towering, lighted cross Monday as a sign of unity among the world’s people.
The cross soars more than 73.8 meters (242.13 feet) into the air and is lit up with 1,800 spotlights in the mountain village of Qanat Bekish, according to Father Farid Doumit, a Maronite priest in the village.
Building the cross took about two years and cost some $1.5 million, which mainly came from donations from the Maronite Church and a French Catholic group. The cross stands near a church that dates to 1898.
Monday’s inauguration came on the eve of the feast of the Congregation of Holy Cross.
Lebanon is a pluralistic society with 18 different religious sects and a parliament split equally between Christians and Muslims. Lebanon is also the only Arab country with a Christian head of state.
The world’s tallest cross can be found in Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen) near Madrid, Spain. The cross is made from stone and stands at an amazing 500 feet (152.4 meters).
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