One of the New 7 Wonders of the World

Christ the Redeemer

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Christ the Redeemer (Portuguese: Cristo Redentor, standard Brazilian Portuguese: [kistu edto],
local dialect: [kitu edto]) is an Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
created by Polish-French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by the Brazilian engineer Heitor da
Silva Costa, in collaboration with the French engineer Albert Caquot. The face was created by
the Romanian artist Gheorghe Leonida. The statue is 30 metres (98 ft) tall, not including its 8-
metre (26 ft) pedestal, and its arms stretch 28 metres (92 ft) wide. By comparison, it is
approximately two-thirds the height of the Statue of Libertys height from base to torch.

The statue weighs 635 metric tons (625 long, 700 short tons), and is located at the peak of the
700-metre (2,300 ft) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city
of Rio. A symbol of Christianity across the world, the statue has also become a cultural icon of
both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, and is listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It is
made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, and was constructed between 1922 and 1931.

This article is about the liturgical celebration and romantic holiday. For Brazil's
corresponding celebration, see Dia dos Namorados. For uses of Valentine, see
Valentine. For other uses, see Valentine's Day (disambiguation).

"St. Valentine's Day" redirects here. For the Bing Crosby album, see St. Valentine's
Day (album).

Valentine's Day
 Antique Valentine's card

Also Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of

called Saint Valentine

People in many countries;

Observed
Anglican Communion (see calendar)
by
Lutheran Church (see calendar)

Type Christian, cultural, commercial

Significa Feast day of Saint Valentine; the

nce celebration of love and affection

Observan Sending greeting cards and gifts,

ces dating, church services

February 14
(fixed by the Western Christian
Church)
Date
July 6
(fixed by the Eastern Orthodox
Church)
Frequenc
annual
y

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Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine,[1] is an
annual holiday celebrated on February 14. It originated as a Western Christian liturgical feast day
honoring one or more early saints named Valentinus, and is recognized as a significant cultural
and commercial celebration in many regions around the world, although it is not a public holiday
in any country.

Several martyrdom stories associated with the various Valentines that were connected to
February 14 were added to later martyrologies,[2] including a popular hagiographical account of
Saint Valentine of Rome which indicated he was imprisoned for performing weddings for
soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted
under the Roman Empire.[3] According to legend, during his imprisonment, Saint Valentine
healed the daughter of

he day first became associated with romantic love within the circle of Geoffrey
Chaucer in the 14th century, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-
century England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for
each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting
cards (known as "valentines"). In Europe, Saint Valentine's Keys are given to lovers
"as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the givers heart", as well as to
children, in order to ward off epilepsy (called Saint Valentine's Malady). [6] Valentine's
Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the
figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have
given way to mass-produced greeting cards. [7]