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Photos: Giant statue of Pope John Paul II unveiled in Poland

It’s almost 14 metres high, made out of fibreglass, and weighs five tonnes.

IT’S ALMOST 14 metres high, weighs five tonnes, and is believed to be the largest statue of a former pontiff in the world.

The giant statue of Pope John Paul II was unveiled on a hill in the city of Czestochowa in Poland yesterday and shows the pope standing with his arms outstretched.

The statue, which is made of fibreglass, was funded by a businessman to thank the former pope for an intervention which he said saved the life of his son in a drowning accident.

Pope John Paul II died in 2005 at the age of 84 and was beatified in 2011.

(All pics: AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Read: Pope urges Church to ‘act with determination in cases of sexual abuse’ >

Read: Archbishop MArtin says the Church should not be ‘gagged’ >

Read: Archbishop Diarmuid Martin says Catholic Church is at a ‘critical juncture’ >

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93 Comments
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    Mute Brian Shanahan
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:04 PM

    ”Pope John Paul II died aged 2005 ”

    He only got the job cause he knew mary!

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    Mute Donna Bartley
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:32 PM

    Brilliant!

    18
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    Mute hjGfIgAq
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:52 PM

    Oops. That’s been fixed now. I do like Brian’s reasoning though…

    29
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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:24 PM

    Will there be a colouring in competition?

    55
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    Mute New totwit
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:22 PM

    Er, I don’t like it. It’s just too white!

    54
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    Mute Aziza
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:47 PM

    I find it creepy and would not like to be living too nearby, I think religions are a fake all of them. All too similar leads me to believe they were man made, to divide people. Wasn’t their massive corruption in the Catholic Church, in Ireland we had the laundries, women lives destroyed, young children raped by priests. I feel sorry for the good priests who have been stigmatised by these scandals, higher up you go bishops pope etc, they were just as culpable because they covered this abuse of children an women for years.
    Honouring them why ?

    Also they have a privately owned back , why ?

    I know someone who is training to be a priest he had to give everything he owns to the church before he joined. Why ? He gets an allowance and has a curfew, is he a child?

    51
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    Mute Pat Murphy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:37 PM

    don’t mention Banco Ambrosiano or diplomatic immunity!

    6
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    Mute Lieutenant Worf
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:51 PM

    Anyone who has been to Poland know how much John Paul II is loved over there. There are statues everywhere of him including Czestochowa already.

    45
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    Mute Kevin Cooney
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:38 PM

    Poles obviously never read the Bible – “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” — Exodus 20:4-6 (KJV)

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    Mute Sean Watson
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:46 PM

    Leutenant, the statues which you saw were NOT of John Paul 2nd, these were the statues of Stalin, Lenin, etc.. Poland used to be a Communist state, remeber?! :)

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    Mute Terence MacSwiney Field
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:00 PM

    So why have you got a photo of yourself then?

    10
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    Mute Zoe Daly
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:03 PM

    yes have visited Poland. It is a beautiful country with an interesting history. Czestochowa is amazing.
    Is obvious how much loved John Paul II is there.

    25
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    Mute Lieutenant Worf
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:27 PM

    @ Sean – your comment is beyond ridiculous.

    15
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    Mute Lieutenant Worf
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:28 PM

    @ Zoe – true, all the towns I’ve visited have something to his memory.

    12
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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:22 PM

    That cuts out every Roman church on the planet.

    4
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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:23 PM

    Same thing.

    3
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    Mute Flose Nkunga
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    Apr 16th 2013, 1:25 PM

    That Right Kevin may God Bless you, we can’t see the evil things and remain silence

    1
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    Mute Barry
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:25 PM

    How exactly did the former pope save the life of the business man’s son?

    Did he jump in and physically save him?

    Or was it after the drowning incident when the medical professionals saved the kids life but the guy prefers to say this was down to the pope?

    41
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    Mute Paul
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:30 PM

    He prayed to JP2

    30
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    Mute Barry
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:07 PM

    and if I prayed to a rock when my dad recovered from cancer should we build a monument to that thus ignoring all the medical care that actually cured him.

    39
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    Mute Carl Douglas
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:35 PM

    Yawn…Barry you’re boring mate.

    48
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    Mute Eamonn Bolger
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:12 PM

    Give it a rest Barry. You’re becoming tedious.

    28
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    Mute Hakuin Murphy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:51 PM

    Was that rock you prayed to the Holy Stone of Clonrichert?
    Great to hear your da’s better. No wonder it’s been upgraded to a class 2 relic…..

    18
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    Mute Gnik
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:32 PM

    That’s kind of how I see the Brian O’Driscoll statue, looking at the top of Grafton st.

    41
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    Mute Tom Colgan
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:00 PM

    What a waste of money :)

    39
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    Mute Terence MacSwiney Field
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:06 PM

    A wonderful tribute to a wonderful Saint.

    34
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    Mute James
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:39 PM

    The money it cost should of gone to the homeless over there
    Instead the the church show there wealth with a lump of stone

    31
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    Mute Paul Clancy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:45 PM

    Not stone, fibre glass. Not the church, a business man.

    Down with that sort of thing!

    64
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    Mute Lieutenant Worf
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:49 PM

    @ James – you clearly didn’t read the article. The Church didn’t fund the statue. Also it’s not made of stone, it’s fibreglass.

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    Mute Tomas O'Bradaigh
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:06 PM

    Good to see James concerned with the homeless. (Mark 14:7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.)

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    Mute James
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:06 PM

    Is the church not a business

    16
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    Mute Marion Murphy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:58 PM

    The Vatican only saunters behind the EU gravy train.

    8
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    Mute Liz (10) (^_^)
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:28 PM

    Sorry sorry guys I’m awful. I could only think ‘Transformer Pope.’
    I do like JP2 though

    29
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    Mute Seamus Foskin
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:35 PM

    robots in disguise lol

    16
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    Mute Ryan'O
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:39 PM

    Peados in disguise more like.

    77
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    Mute Liz (10) (^_^)
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:56 PM

    Careful now

    9
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    Mute Barry Ryan
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:48 PM

    At least there was a pope John Paul the 2nd. There is no god.

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Apr 15th 2013, 6:58 PM

    OMG!!

    1
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    Mute Brian Lyons
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:34 PM

    Will there be three more statues of him doing M, C & A?

    26
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    Mute Seamus Foskin
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:34 PM

    well i suppose it only a bit of harmless fun as long as they dont start worshiping said statue. which at some stage i am fairly sure they might

    23
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    Mute Harry Byrne
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    Apr 15th 2013, 6:14 PM

    im putting a bet with paddy power, that it will start moving

    6
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    Mute Seamus Foskin
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    Apr 15th 2013, 8:09 PM

    twill be like ghost busters two with the moving statue of liberty

    3
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    Mute Gavin
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:39 PM

    Biblical proportions but God awful!!!

    23
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    Mute John Ward
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:46 PM

    I thought he was great for his age!!

    18
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    Mute Karl Stromberg
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    Apr 16th 2013, 12:00 AM

    Me too even though he got a bit dribbly towards the end.

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    Mute Marion Murphy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:00 PM

    There is enough anti-religious fascists in Ireland who are more than willing to knock this statue down. It’s the PC religion that speak double-speak language these days not latin.

    17
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    Mute Paul
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:24 PM

    The Polish get a 14M statue and Ireland who loved him more has a poxy cross in the Phoenix Park

    16
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    Mute Barry
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:28 PM

    I think you’ll find only “some” people in Ireland like this man,

    Personally I’d protest any plans to build any further monuments to this man in Ireland,

    88
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    Mute Jonathan McCoy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:56 PM

    As would I.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:12 PM

    Paul, the man was polish. How can you say the irish loved him more then his own people?!

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    Mute Sean Watson
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:43 PM

    No I think the man wa Russian not poolish

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    Mute Rebecca De Stanleigh
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:18 PM

    No Sean he was Polish. There are statues of him all over Poland. You should go and educate yourself on the matter.

    37
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    Mute АЛЕКСАНДРЪ ХАИШ
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:21 PM

    You are wrong Rebeca plus toy are rude :( Poland used to be part of Russia so technically he was Russian. Go and Educate yourself, luv! ;)

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    Mute АЛЕКСАНДРЪ ХАИШ
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:23 PM

    meant to say “you are rude” lol

    4
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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:31 PM

    Really?! and what was his citizenship?
    Are you trying to say that there is no such place as Poland?
    I think you need to update your education.

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    Mute Eric Prendergast
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:43 PM

    It was not part of Russia but part of the USSR

    28
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    Mute Sean Watson
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:06 PM

    Declan Noonan, don’t be silly and let me explain you. John Paul 2nd was a Pope! And because he was a pope, he had a Vaticani citizenship. This does not make him any less of a Russian though. Hope this helps!

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    Mute Ann Farrelly Kirrane
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:15 PM

    Well Barry that’s an understatement, look at the thousands who turned out to see him when he visited Ireland. He was a well liked man then and I don’t think that has changed.

    19
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    Mute Tomasz Michał Śliwiński
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:20 PM

    Haha you should go and educate yourself as well.
    Only part of Poland was part of Russia and only from 1867 to 1918. From 1815 to 1867 Congress Poland was in real union with Russian Empire (like puppet state).
    Place were John Paul 2nd was born was never part of Russia, only Polish autonomy region (Galicia) in Austria/Austria-Hungary Empire (1772-1918).

    33
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    Mute Sean Watson
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:20 PM

    You are right Eric! :)

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    Mute Sean Watson
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:22 PM

    Well Tomas, if you say so….we will definitely believe you! lol

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    Mute Tomasz Michał Śliwiński
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:30 PM

    sorry, it was answer to: АЛЕКСАНДРЪ ХАИШ

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    Mute АЛЕКСАНДРЪ ХАИШ
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:41 PM

    Well Tomas, if you say so….we will definitely believe you! lol

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    Mute ♡paulie♡
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    Apr 15th 2013, 6:34 PM

    Lol guys x

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 15th 2013, 7:16 PM

    E you wish. Never was and never will be we rather die than to be part of that country. Your ”great” dictators thought that we are. Morons.

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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 15th 2013, 7:20 PM

    Alex get yourself educated. You know, not everything that your country folks are telling you is right.

    9
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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Apr 15th 2013, 7:43 PM

    Eric, USSR- union of soviet socialist republics. Poland was never a republic in the Soviet Union. It fell under the influence of the Soviet Union and was a Warsaw Pact country. That was it.

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    Mute Sarah Murphy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 9:15 PM

    Nobody loves JP2 more than the Poles!! Fact.

    5
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    Mute David Kearney
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:41 PM

    Wow, they made a statue that’s equal parts creepy and ugly looking. What an achievement.

    14
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    Mute Nathan Ó Conraoí
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:18 PM

    Im not overly religious but ALOT of people in Ireland/World should look upto and learn from this man JP2 no bullsh*te, corruptness, backstabbing or two facedness the world would be a far better place! The man was something else an Angelic figure worldwide deserves absolutely everything he gets!! Anyone who says otherwise is just a idiot simple as religious or not!

    14
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    Mute deirdre
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    Apr 15th 2013, 7:22 PM

    Bono and JP2 were firm friends. Anyone remember the chant “John Paul 2, we love you… when he visited Galway..

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Apr 15th 2013, 10:37 PM

    I don’t agree Nathan because I have checked the facts on this man. True he had his good points but he had bad ones as well, very bad, in fact. The truth is out there if you choose to look, but I’m sure you won’t take my advice as I am an idiot for not agreeing with you, apparently.

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    Mute name
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    Apr 15th 2013, 2:36 PM

    Touchdown !

    13
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    Mute Anne Roberts
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:07 PM

    Scary…..

    13
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    Mute Geraldine Brennan
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:13 PM

    Have to admit, I liked JP2 and I even still like reading articles about him. I know it was a different age back then but I think he had a friendly way about him. Never took much interest in Benedict though.. Lost interest after all allegations against the church.

    11
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    Mute Pat Murphy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 6:01 PM

    am not religious but I still,to this day, will never understand his stance or the RCC on the use of condoms, ESP in sub Saharan Africa.

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Apr 15th 2013, 8:24 PM

    JP 2 was the man in charge when Benedict or Ratzinger as he was then, covered up the child abuse scandals. Ratzinger did this under instruction of, with the blessing of and cooperation of John Paul 2. Far from being a saint, if I believed in such things, more like a contender for the other place.

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    Mute Keith Wizzy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:43 PM

    They never get the Nazi salute right for them fascists :p

    7
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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Apr 15th 2013, 7:29 PM

    I note from the photo that the pigeons are already flocking to it….sorry… I meant pilgrims…

    5
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    Mute Krystian Brzezowski
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:37 PM

    OMG

    5
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    Mute АЛЕКСАНДРЪ ХАИШ
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:24 PM

    I know….the statue looks awfull! Look how short the arms are hahahah

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Apr 15th 2013, 6:50 PM

    We should have a giant Michael Collins instead of that proxy spike thingy thing thing

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    Mute Alan Keegan
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    Apr 15th 2013, 6:36 PM

    When are the M,C, and A statues being unveiled?

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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Apr 15th 2013, 8:13 PM
    1
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    Mute АЛЕКСАНДРЪ ХАИШ
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:15 PM

    So what’s next on pole’s mind now??? To build more statues of Mr Stalin, Lenin, Putin, Merkel, etc…..? :) Brill idea!

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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:58 PM

    Idiot

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    Mute Sean Watson
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    Apr 15th 2013, 5:15 PM

    No I think next they will decide to build statues of Bush, Obama, Merkel etc LOL :)

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    Mute Sean Watson
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    Apr 15th 2013, 3:41 PM

    LOOK! THIS STATUE HAS ABNORMALLY SHORT HANDS! LOL PLUS IT MORE LOOKS LIKE THE STATUE OF LENIN :)

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    Mute АЛЕКСАНДРЪ ХАИШ
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    Apr 15th 2013, 4:18 PM

    It does actually looks like the statue of some polish communist leader! And the hands are abnormally short for the balance, i think.

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    Mute Tony Le Blanc
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    Apr 15th 2013, 11:19 PM

    porno for pigeons

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    Mute Peter Muster
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    Apr 17th 2013, 2:41 PM

    That’s pretty impressive…

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    Mute Danuta Murawska
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    Apr 16th 2013, 9:49 PM

    The Russians can say that Ireland is part of the United Kingdom!!!

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    Mute Themanwithnoplan2012
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    Apr 16th 2013, 12:06 AM

    they like their statues big in poland. worlds biggest statue of christ is in a field just acroos the road from tesco in a small town called schweibodzin.. and it would frighten the life outta you

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