Baghdeda, North Iraq (AINA) -- Rio de Janeiro is a long way away from Baghdeda, an Assyrian town in north Iraq, yet these two cities, one large and one very small, now have something in common: a statue of Jesus Christ the Redeemer. On April 10, Fr. Father Louis Kassab, Chairman of the Christian Affairs Committee, uncovered the statue at check point 1 at Baghdeda, located on AlHizam Street near the Naufil Tourist Club.

Assyrian Scouts played music during the ceremony. Guests included Fr Andrawos Habash, Nawar AlNajar, Rabeea Habash and Muntasir Hadad, Khalis Isho Barbar, member of Iraqi Parliament, Istaipho Jamil Habash, representative of the Chaldean/Syriac/Assyrian Council, members of the Qaraqosh Council, and hundreds of Baghdeda guards and residents.

According to Najib Attallah, who is responsible for the check point, the idea for the statue came from the guards who work at the check point. "In the past we have built Nativity Scenes during Christmas. The guards decided to built a statue for this Easter Celebration resembling the Statue of Jesus Christ in Brazil."

He said the work on the statue took a month and half at eighteen hours per week, and was performed by two guards, Alaa Nasir Kithya and Amaar Anay. Donations were made by some of the guards and Baghdeda residents.

Some information for this report came from ankawa.com. Photos courtesy of ankawa.com.