Tallest Statue of Jesus in India to be blessed in Sagar ( M.P.)
On 30th September 2013, George Cardinal Alencherry, Head of the Syro Malabar Catholic Church, will bless India’s tallest statue of Jesus in Sagar (M.P.), in the presence of over 20 bishops, and pilgrims coming from USA, Canada, France, Germany and Italy and thousands of Indian Christians and non-Christians – all devotees of Divine Mercy.
The 43 feet tall statue of Divine Mercy of Jesus is a monument to proclaim that the Lord is ever merciful to all those who seek him. Local people call Him “Dayasagar” (Ocean of Mercy). Devotion to Divine Mercy was made popular through St. Maria Faustina Kowalska. The statue stands along the North – South Corridor, NH 26, 15 Km west of Sagar city in the village called Khajuria Guru. The statue which weighs 1.5 ton is placed at the height of 45 feet on a 100 feet concrete structure to protect it from violent storms and earthquakes. It is made in thermoset and is 16 feet wide, 3 feet depth, 3 inches thick. The rays from the heart of Jesus representing are 21 feet long.
The idea of the monumental statue first came to the mind of Bishop Anthony Chirayath of Sagar, who on 5 October 2007, while on a visit to San Francisco (USA), saw in a vision a shrine of Divine Mercy. He heard an interior message ordering him to build a shrine in Sagar dedicated to Divine Mercy. In his vision he saw thousands of people of all faiths flocking to the feet of Jesus and getting manifold blessings. Though he did not take this message seriously at first, on the following days he came to know that two other persons had exactly similar visions on 5 October. These two persons were strangers to Bishop and they lived in continents apart.
The Rector of the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge (USA) hearing the intention of the Bishop gifted him a sacred image of Divine Mercy on canvass which he enshrined in the chapel of the Renewal Centre at Khajuria Guru. On 9 November 2007 in the presence of all the priests of the diocese, 40 sisters and 20 lay persons the Bishop blessed the Divine Mercy picture, consecrated his diocese to Divine Mercy and declared it an diocesan Shrine. He told the congregation that henceforth it will be called Dayasagar (Ocean of Mercy).
On 30 March 2008 the Feast of Divine Mercy was celebrated at Dayasagar for the first time. Outdoor arrangements were made to accommodate about a thousand pilgrims. There were spiritual conferences, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, healing service and solemn Mass. At least eight pilgrims testified that they had received physical healing during the healing service. That day Bishop Chirayath himself was healed miraculously from an incurable disease. There were also several non-Christians among the participants.
On 31 October 2008 the Bishop installed solemnly in the chapel of Divine Mercy the holy relic of St. Maria Faustina, which was donated to the shrine by the Superior General of the Congregation of Sisters of Merciful Jesus in Poland. On 1 May 2011 Bishop Chirayath laid the foundation stone for the new monumental shrine. The original idea was to install an eight feet statue, but the artist whom the work was entrusted proposed a statue of 40 feet which was later modified into 43 feet.
Attached to the shrine, there is a Renewal Centre which can comfortably accommodate 50 people for prayer and meditation. A community of Adoration Sisters spends their time in Adoration. People come here for spiritual nourishment. Spiritual Retreats are organized here. Monthly healing services are held. Those who wish to participate may contact the Rector.
For further information please contact: Rector, Dayasagar, Khajuria Guru, Sagar District, M. P.
Postal address: PB No. 31, Sagar Cantt:, M.P., India 470001
Email address: dayasagarkhajuriaguru@gmail.com, Mobile Nos. +917697543243; +918223882211
