Europe’s Tallest Statue of the Virgin Mary to Be Consecrated on the Feast of the Assumption
A towering new monument to the Blessed Virgin Mary is preparing to welcome pilgrims in Poland, where Europe’s tallest Marian statue will be formally consecrated on one of the Church’s great Marian feast days.
The statue, located in the small Polish town of Konotopie, is scheduled to be consecrated on August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to LifeSiteNews, Bishop Krzysztof Wętkowski will consecrate the monument following approximately a year and a half of construction.
Standing 55.6 meters, or about 182 feet, high when its pedestal is included, the monument has become a striking new landmark in the region. The figure of the Virgin Mary itself measures 40.8 meters, or approximately 133 feet, while the roughly 15-meter pedestal beneath it is designed in the shape of a crown.
According to LifeSiteNews, the Marian figure alone stands about two meters taller than the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.
Although the Konotopie monument is considered the tallest Marian statue in Europe, it does not hold the worldwide record. LifeSiteNews reports that the Mother of All Asia – Tower of Peace in Batangas City, Philippines, reaches 98.15 meters, or approximately 322 feet.
The Polish monument is already drawing attention even before its formal consecration. Mieczysław Grębicki, the leader of the town, told Euronews that visitors have been coming to see the statue daily ahead of its official opening.
The project was funded by Polish entrepreneur Roman Karkosik and his wife. Karkosik, who lives a little more than a mile from Konotopie, explained the deeply personal motivation behind the project.
According to the Financial Times, Karkosik said he had the monument erected “out of gratitude to Mary.”
The precise cost of the project has not been publicly established. LifeSiteNews reports that estimates have placed the construction cost at approximately €23 million, or about $26.5 million.
The location of the monument also carries particular significance for Catholic pilgrims. Konotopie is near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows, a longstanding place of Marian devotion that houses a wooden statue of the Blessed Virgin associated with reported healings and other graces.
According to LifeSiteNews, the shrine has served as a local pilgrimage destination since the 19th century. Karkosik and his wife also helped fund the reconstruction and expansion of the sanctuary in 2011.
The August 15 consecration gives the new monument an especially fitting beginning. On the Solemnity of the Assumption, Catholics celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary being taken, body and soul, into heavenly glory at the end of her earthly life.
Now, rising high above the Polish countryside, the statue will stand as a visible expression of Marian devotion and gratitude — and as a new destination for Catholics drawn to honor the Mother of God.
Your support brings the truth to the world.
Catholic Online News exists because of donors like you. We are 100% funded by people who believe the world deserves real, uncensored news rooted in faith and truth — not corporate agendas. Your gift ensures millions can continue to access the news they can trust — stories that defend life, faith, family, and freedom.
When truth is silenced, your support speaks louder.
