King of Kings (statue) facts for kids

King of Kings was a very tall statue of Jesus that stood 62-foot (19 m) (about 19 meters) high. It was located next to Interstate 75 at the Solid Rock Church, a large Christian church near Monroe, Ohio, in the United States. Sadly, the statue was destroyed by a lightning strike and a fire on June 14, 2010.

The statue was placed on an island in front of the church's outdoor amphitheater. It stood at the beginning of the church's baptismal pool, surrounded by fountains and lit up at night. The statue showed Jesus from the chest up, with his arms and head lifted towards the sky. The distance between his raised hands was 42-foot (13 m) (about 13 meters). A 40-foot (12 m) (about 12 meters) Christian cross was at its base. The finished statue was very heavy, weighing 16,000 pounds (7,000 kg) (about 7,257 kilograms).

Building the Giant Statue

This impressive statue was designed by Brad Coriell. James Lynch sculpted it, and Mark Mitten put it together.

The statue was built around a metal frame, like a skeleton, which was made in Lebanon, Ohio. The actual sculpted part was created in Jacksonville, Florida. After it was finished there, it was driven north to Ohio on a truck. The main body of the statue was made from Styrofoam covered with a thin layer of fiberglass.

The statue was completed in September 2004. It cost about $250,000 to build. Brad Coriell, the designer, even gave some of his time for free to help with the project.

Fun Nicknames and Fame

The statue became very well-known and was given many nicknames by people living nearby and travelers on I-75. Some of these names were funny or loving, while others were a bit teasing. Here are some of the nicknames:

• Big J
• Big Butter Jesus
• Touchdown Jesus (This name came from a famous mural at Notre Dame University. The statue's pose looked like an American football referee signaling a touchdown!)
• Super Jesus
• MC 62-Foot Jesus (This was a playful reference to a musician named MC 900 Ft. Jesus.)

The statue also inspired two songs:

• The comedian Heywood Banks wrote and sang a funny song called "Big Butter Jesus" about the statue.
• Singer-songwriter Robbie Schaefer, from the band Eddie from Ohio, wrote the song "Monroe, OH" after driving past the statue.

The statue was also a popular spot for fans of Ohio State University. They would take photos where Jesus's raised arms looked like the "H" when they spelled out "O-H-I-O" with their bodies.

How the Statue Was Destroyed

On June 14, 2010, the King of Kings statue was hit by lightning. This caused a big fire that burned the statue. Because the statue was made of a thin layer of fiberglass over a styrofoam inside, it caught fire easily. The fire burned away everything except the metal frame inside.

After the fire, the church's pastor said they planned to rebuild the statue using materials that would not burn. In the days after the fire, the church's digital sign showed the message "He'll be back."

Even though the statue cost about $250,000 to build, it was insured for $500,000. This was because the artist, Brad Coriell, had donated his time, which added to its value. It was estimated that the statue and the amphitheater together had about $700,000 in damages. About $300,000 was for the statue and $400,000 for the amphitheater.

A New Statue Rises

Construction on a new statue began in June 2012. This replacement statue was 52-foot (16 m) (about 16 meters) tall and had a very different design. The new statue is called Lux Mundi, which means "Light of the World." It was put together at the site on September 19, 2012, and officially opened on September 30, 2012.