DISCOVER THE

Christ of the Abyss Statue

THE STORY OF THE STATUE

Submerged in the waters of San Fruttuoso, Italy, one can find Guido Galletti’s Christ of the Abyss statue.  The original clay version was discovered in 1993 in an old foundry.  There are several copies of the famous statue around the world, such as the Christ of the Abyss in Key Largo.

THE STATUES

The first “Christ of the Abyss” statue is submerged in the seas of San Fruttuoso in Italy, close to Portofino, one of the world’s most famous hamlets.

INITIAL BRONZE STATUE

The bronze statue, which is more than 15 meters deep, was erected on the bed of the sea on the 22nd of August, 1954, at the suggestion of famed Italian diver Duilio Marcante, who wished to install a monument of Jesus.

INITIAL BRONZE STATUE

Guido Galletti sculpted the statue, which has its arms lifted in an invoking gesture. The monument stands 2.5 meters tall and weighs 260 kilograms without the base.

THE GRENADA COPY (1961)

There is another bronze sculpture, produced from the same mold as the first. This replica of the underwater Jesus statue at Carenage port commemorates the disaster of the Bianca C, the famous luxury cruise liner from Italy.

THE american copy (1962)

The Christ of the Abyss in Key Largo is the third bronze cast from the original casting. Pennekamp State Park is where you’ll find it.

why were the statues created?

The first statue was created by Guido Galletti and was inspired by Duilio Marcante, an Italian diving instructor. The monument was erected at the site of Dario Gonzatti’s death in 1947, as the first Italian to utilize SCUBA equipment. The second version at Grenada was created to commemorate the tragic loss of a British vessel and the heroic deeds of the fishermen.

how does one view these statues?

The underwater Jesus statue is located on the seaward side of the Dry Rocks of Key Largo. The reef is formed in the shape of a hand, with sand pathways between the fingers. A pencil buoy marks the statue, which sits in one of the fingers. The Dry Rocks, being a moderately shallow dive location, provides chances for both snorkelers and divers.