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Maratea is considered one of the pearls of the Mediterranean. Lying on the Lucan coast, it is a hidden paradise that can be reached after winding roads while christ the Redeemer watches over her.
We have seen this statue many times from the coast, a white dot, often enveloped by fog that falls at a certain time on Mount San Biagio. But this time we decided to approach, we want to observe his face that many consider different from any other representation of Christ.
We climb Mount San Biagio with this sky that becomes more and more red and this slight haze that begins to fall and becomes more and more insistent. The curves to get to the top of the mountain are quite narrow but, as we climb the view becomes more and more beautiful. Maratea is gorgeous even under a sky that doesn’t look forgiving at all.
Some older women climb to the top of the mountain on foot, are devoted to St. Blaise and this is his “path”.
The last stretch of road, the one that will lead us to the foot of Christ the Redeemer is truly suggestive. The road is literally suspended in nothing, the asphalt resting on the concrete pillars. Let’s slow down, it seems inevitable… a little bit of an impression this road does.
Gradually we find ourselves in the great clearing in which to park the car that looks almost like an island in the sky. You know here everything is very small, expanses of greenery and the infinity of the sea seem so far away.
We don’t know why, maybe to drain the adrenaline, but we start running towards the statue that on the uphill route, we saw closer and closer.
The bells are starting to ring, it almost seems that they welcome us as winners. The statue of Christ the Redeemer is there, very high, white and with his arms wide open in an eternal prayer of the “Our Father”.
The concrete and marble dough with which it was made at the behest of the Florentine artist Bruno Innocenti, makes this statue smooth and white since 1965.The considerable height, about 21m, makes it impossible not to raise your head to look at his face.
That of Maratea, is a different Christ: he is a young Christ, without a beard, with short hair, he seems almost in his teenage years. His face is clear, sharp, perfectly visible
His arms are open and facing upwards, as if he were intent on reminding everyone of the prayer of the Our Father.
Behind him there is an unexpected sunset for us; with this fog we almost didn’t expect to be able to see the sky turns red before making room in the evening.
We should leave before it gets dark but we will still be here enjoying this immense spectacle, the vastness of this landscape constantly embraced by his Christ.
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