Brazil - Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio illuminated with a mask

 The statue of Christ the Redeemer, icon of Rio de Janeiro, has been illuminated with a mask to symbolize the fight against the coronavirus, which in Brazil has already recorded over 100 thousand cases and more than seven thousand deaths.
    The monument, located on the top of the Corcovado hill, joined the campaign to raise awareness among the population about the ongoing health emergency. The lights also projected the phrase "The mask saves" on the statue.
    The Redeemer is managed by the archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, whose manager is Orani Tempesta, appointed cardinal by Pope Francis. The Sanctuary of Christ instead has the priest Omar Raposo, who is also a samba singer with religious content.
    "Once again the Christ the Redeemer appears as the greatest symbol in the formation of collective consciousness for the conservation of life," said Raposo.
    Rio de Janeiro is the second Brazilian state most affected by Covid-19, with 1019 deaths and 11,139 sick, surpassed only by Sao Paulo.
    Rio governor Wilson Witzel, who is in quarantine after testing positive for the disease, said last week that the healthcare system is practically "collapsing" and that around 300 people are waiting to be hospitalized in an intensive care unit. .