A group of prosperous Christian businessmen in Israel are planning to build the largest cross in the world in the boyhood town of Jesus Christ.
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(Photo: nazarethcross.com)A computer-generated image of the world's largest cross, set to be built in Nazareth pending municipal approval.
According to officials, the initial private building plan is already underway for the “Nazareth Cross,” which will be 60 meters high and decorated by some 7.2 million mosaic tiles made of Nazareth stone.
The site will be an attempt to draw tourism to the struggling economy of Nazareth as well as pay homage to the early life of Christ.
“Nazareth is the starting point for Christian pilgrimage,” write promoters on the project’s website. “Here Gabriel proclaimed to the Virgin: ‘Hail, highly favored one!’ An estimated 300,000 pilgrims flock to Nazareth each year, in addition to the hundred thousand local visitors. They come to see this special place where Jesus spent most of His Life and from where He started His public ministry.”
According to a statement on Sunday from Bashir Abdel-Razik, the deputy mayor of Nazareth, the building project has not been pitched to the city, however, and that officials have not OK’d the plans.
They worry about the surrounding Muslim population in Nazareth – which makes up two-thirds of its 74,000 residents – that may disagree with the cross. Its construction may cause unrest with the religious neighbors.
The city has been hit hard by the violence from the Muslim community in the past years, which has been cause for the economic decline of the Galilean village.
There has been significant tension between the Christians and Muslims living inside the city as well. A recent example was a six-year dispute over building an Islam mosque next to the Basilica – a holy site where it was believed that Gabrielle appeared to Mary.
Should the proposed cross get the go-ahead, it would be built next to the English Hospital in the ancient city.
Plans are still being worked on and may change in the coming weeks, but current plans show a church being built at the center of the cross with a five square-kilometer visitors center surrounding the construction.
A French architect is expected to arrive in Israel to discuss the project.
An NGO consisting of several different denominations is also backing the Nazareth Cross.
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Comments
again I say-I will never understand the veneration of the cross,IT was a cruel torture divise to put people to death upon.kind of like venerating an electric chair,I am Impressed that GOD came to Man in Human form,being sinless allowed himself to be put to death upon one. to take our punishment upon himself that is what I am impressed with.he is what I wait to see.
This article was posted in a Muslim website. Can anyone read this?: http://www.muslm.net/vb/showthread.php?t=241403
This is Jesus kitsch and Christian triumphalism being taken to far. Doesn’t anyone else see this as just plain tacky and gross? These kinds of projects are embarrassing.
This isn't going to happen in Israel. The Jewish people and Muslims will not allow this. Christians have a hard enough time over in Israel. Muslims will not allow this to go through.
Just another Icon for the muslims to blow up
I will never understand the veneration of the cross,IT was a cruel torture divise to put people to death upon.kind of like venerating an electric chair,I am Impressed that GOD came to Man in Human form,being sinless allowed himself to be put to death upon one. to take our punishment upon himself that is what I am impressed with.he is what I wait to see.
That computer-generated image is not to scale, right? There's no way any gov't official would allow something of that size to be erected.
That cross is gigantic. Look how much bigger it is than the city. I think that would be cool. Hopefully it would not become an eyesore.