Man crushed to death by giant crucifix dedicated to Pope

[cronus]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... -Pope.html

Man crushed to death by giant crucifix dedicated to Pope

An Italian man was crushed to death on Thursday by a giant crucifix dedicated to the late Pope John Paul II, just days before the Polish pontiff will be made a saint in a ceremony at the Vatican.

In a bizarre coincidence, the 21-year-old man was reported to have been living in a street named after Pope John XXIII – who will also be canonised in the ceremony on Sunday, in an event that is unprecedented in the 2,000 year history of the Catholic Church.

The man, named as Marco Gusmini, was posing for a photograph with a group of friends in front of the 100ft-high cross when it suddenly collapsed.
A large, 20ft-high statue of Christ the Redeemer was attached to the crucifix, which was created for John Paul II’s visit to Brescia, in the northern region of Lombardy, in 1998.

It was subsequently removed from Brescia and re-erected in the mountain village of Cevo in 2005.

The massive cross was unusually shaped – it bowed and bent downwards and was held in place by steel cables.
In what one Italian newspaper called “a tragedy full of disturbing coincidences”, the victim lived with his parents in a town called Lovere in Via Papa Giovanni XXIII – Pope John XXIII Street.

(continued, maybe not though....)

[FBM]

Given the circumstances, they may want to wait a few days before burying him. You never know.

[cronus]

Given the circumstances, they may want to wait a few days before burying him. You never know.

It's a heavy cross that.

[FBM]

Well, that's his cross to bear now.

[FBM]

[Hermit]

Excuse me while I cross-post that clip to another thread.

[Faithfree]

That's the thing about these crosses, they were actually designed to kill people, although originally they weren't as quick and efficient. That's progress for you.

[cronus]

That's the thing about these crosses, they were actually designed to kill people, although originally they weren't as quick and efficient. That's progress for you.

That wasn't a cross though. It was a mousetrap when it came down.

[Faithfree]

That's the thing about these crosses, they were actually designed to kill people, although originally they weren't as quick and efficient. That's progress for you.

That wasn't a cross though. It was a mousetrap when it came down.

If JC had met his demise in a giant mousetrap, there'd be one on every alter and the devout would wear little mousetraps on their lapels and around their necks.

[mistermack]

He was lucky.

It's not easy to die on the cross these days.
It used to be easy. Out of the door, line on the left, one cross each.

[Tero]

These 3d aspects are confusing. We need OSHA to look into churches where these religious folk work. I think future crosses will have to be no more than 5 cm thick and no more than 2m off the ground. All new Jesuses will be inflatable or made of styrofoam or balsa. A maximum weight of Jesus and cross will be determined.

[mistermack]

These 3d aspects are confusing. We need OSHA to look into churches where these religious folk work. I think future crosses will have to be no more than 5 cm thick and no more than 2m off the ground. All new Jesuses will be inflatable or made of styrofoam or balsa. A maximum weight of Jesus and cross will be determined.

Fire retardant, I hope !!

[Tero]

Realistic wood finished polymer. Hollow.

[mistermack]

Realistic wood finished polymer. Hollow.

Like the traditional oak beams, in Ye Olde English pubs.

[Tero]

We will be marketing the crosses for pub ornaments too. Choice of Jesus, Santa, Hitler, pig and Easter Bunny.