A six-story Jesus statue on the grounds of Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio was damaged after being struck by lightning shortly after midnight on June 15th.
The piece is called “King of Kings,” but is informally known as “Touchdown Jesus” or “Big Butter Jesus” due to its pose. According to Wikipedia, the statue is known by several other names informally in the area:
- Giant Jesus (for its size)
- 8-Ball Jesus
- Big Butter Jesus (for its buttery color)
- Big J
- Touchdown Jesus (like the image at Notre Dame Stadium)
- Super Jesus
- MC 62-Foot Jesus (like musician MC 900 Ft. Jesus)
- Drowning Jesus (Only part of Jesus’ torso is depicted above the water)
- Quicksand Jesus
- Swamp Jesus
- Terminator Jesus (after it’s destruction left nothing but its internal wireframe)
While the statue and some surrounding structures were damaged in the fire that followed the lightning strike, no one was hurt in the blaze. From the Dayton Daily News :
The Lawrence Bishop Music Theater at Solid Rock Church on Union Road endured smoke damage, according to officials. Damages to the King of Kings statue and the theater were estimated to be around $700,000, said Monroe Fire Chief Mark Neu.
It is unclear yet whether plans are pending to restore Big Butter Jesus to His former glory. Video below of the conflagration.
