"Dressed" as a Doctor, Brazil's Christ The Redeemer Pays Tribute to Healthcare Workers
The statue of Christ the Redeemer is lit with an image of the attire of healthcare personnel and the word "thank you" during Easter Sunday events, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil April 12, 2020. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes
As a tribute to doctors and nurses battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Rio de Janeiro illuminated the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue on Sunday in an Easter service.
According to a recent article, the 125-foot-tall statue atop Corcovado mountain in Brazil's largest city lit up dressed a doctor and projected images of medical workers and messages of hope in several languages.
READ: 'It's Just a Flu': Bolsonaro's COVID-19 Dismissal Putting Brazil In Danger, Experts Say
"Stay at home," read one of the illuminated messages.
The statue of Christ the Redeemer is lit up with the image of a medical worker during an Easter Sunday event, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 12, 2020. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes
At the base of Christ the Redeemer, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Dom Orani Tempesta, led the Easter Mass.
This is not the first time the iconic statue has been illuminated throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
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In March, the flags of the countries affected by the virus were shown on the statue with the words "pray together" illuminated.
Around the world, people are finding ways to express their gratitude for doctors, nurses, and other essential workers.
In the USA, which has more than 500,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, a teenage girl in Massachusetts recently asked her father - who owns a gas station - to mark her birthday by giving free gas to medical workers. In Los Angeles, charitable institutions are directing donations to provide hospital staff food from local restaurants.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, which has more than 5,000 cases as of Tuesday, various lights and sounds businesses participated in a nationwide "We Light As One" lighting campaign on Easter Sunday to honor frontline workers in the fight against the coronavirus.
Sunday marked at least the second time the Christ the Redeemer statue has been used to highlight the coronavirus crisis. Last month, the landmark was lit up with the flags of countries affected by the deadly respiratory virus, culminating in an image of the world.
A combination picture shows the statue of the Christ, the Redeemer lit up during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 12, 2020. The writing reads, "hope" and "thank you" in different languages. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes
In Brazil, there are already 22,169 coronavirus cases as of Sunday, including at least 1,223 deaths, its Ministry of Health reported.
According to a COVID-19 dashboard, Brazil is one of 14 countries that have recorded at least 22,000 COVID-19 cases.
Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has criticized social distancing measures imposed by state governors and even his own health officials. He has compared the coronavirus to a "little flu," which has raised concerns from experts.
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