This week in Christian history: Megachurch dedicates a 62-foot statue of Jesus; Damasus becomes pope

By Michael Gryboski, Editor
Sunday, September 27, 2026

Lux Mundi Jesus statue dedicated – Sept. 30, 2012

Lux Mundi, a 62-foot-tall statue of Jesus, housed at a facility owned by Display Dynamics, Inc. | Display Dynamics, Inc.

This week marks the anniversary of when an Ohio megachurch dedicated a 62-foot statue of Jesus called Lux Mundi (“Light of the World”), replacing an earlier statue that was destroyed in 2010.

Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio, had a large statue of Jesus from the waist up rising from a lake with His arms raised. It was a popular sight off Interstate 75 and was commonly called “Touchdown Jesus.”

The Lux Mundi statue showed a full-body Jesus with arms outstretched while walking on the lake in front of the sanctuary, with its arms reaching forward instead of toward the heavens.

Ron Carter, administrator at Solid Rock, told The Christian Post in an interview in 2012 that the new statue had certain attributes that would prevent another lightning-based fire.

"The materials used for the statue are all fire-rated, and we have installed a lightning suppression system as an integral part of the statue," said Carter at the time. "If the statue is struck by lightning, I'm told there will be damage at the point of the strike, but the statue should not burn."