Jesus Under Water #11

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

The restored statue, "Il Cristo degli Abissi", can be seen at the Ravenna "National Museum of the Underwater Activities" in Italy.

The original sculpture made from this mold, the "Il Cristo degli Abissi", is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera. It was placed in the water on 22 August 1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954.  

Jesus Under Water #10

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

This is the original clay statue minus the hands that was used to make the original, "Il Cristo degli Abissi". It was located in a foundry in 1993. Upon searching the foundry, the arms were found in a box, but the hands never were. The hands were eventually rebuilt by the sculptor, Mauro Bartolotti, so the statue was complete. It is now on display with replacement hands at the National Museum of Underwater Activities in Ravenna, Italy.

The original sculpture made from this clay model is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera. It was placed in the water on 22 August 1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954.  

Jesus Under Water #9

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

This approximate nine foot tall bronze sculpture is at the bottom the Ocean at Key Largo Dry Rocks off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This statue is a replica of the original "Il Christo Degli Abissi" or in English - "Christ of the Abyss". It symbolizes peace of mankind. The original sculpture is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

It was placed in the water on August 22 ,1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea. 

Jesus Under Water #8

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

This approximate nine foot tall bronze sculpture is at the bottom the Ocean at Key Largo Dry Rocks off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This statue is a replica of the original "Il Christo Degli Abissi" or in English - "Christ of the Abyss". It symbolizes peace of mankind. The original sculpture is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

It was placed in the water on August 22 ,1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954.

Jesus Under Water #7

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

This approximate nine foot tall bronze sculpture is at the bottom the Ocean at Key Largo Dry Rocks off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This statue is a replica of the original "Il Christo Degli Abissi" or in English - "Christ of the Abyss". It symbolizes peace of mankind. The original sculpture is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

It was placed in the water on August 22 ,1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954.

Jesus Under Water #6

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

This approximate nine foot tall bronze sculpture is at the bottom the Ocean at Key Largo Dry Rocks off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This statue is a replica of the original "Il Christo Degli Abissi" or in English - "Christ of the Abyss". It symbolizes peace of mankind. The original sculpture is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

It was placed in the water on August 22 ,1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954. 

Jesus Under Water #5

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

This approximate nine foot tall bronze sculpture is at the bottom the Ocean at Key Largo Dry Rocks off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This statue is a replica of the original "Il Christo Degli Abissi" or in English - "Christ of the Abyss". It symbolizes peace of mankind. The original sculpture is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

It was placed in the water on August 22 ,1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954. 

Jesus Under Water #4

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

This approximate nine foot tall bronze sculpture is at the bottom the Ocean at Key Largo Dry Rocks off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This statue is a replica of the original "Il Christo Degli Abissi" or in English - "Christ of the Abyss". It symbolizes peace of mankind. The original sculpture is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

It was placed in the water on August 22 ,1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954. 

Jesus Under Water #3

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

This approximate nine foot tall bronze sculpture is at the bottom the Ocean at Key Largo Dry Rocks off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This statue is a replica of the original "Il Christo Degli Abissi" or in English - "Christ of the Abyss". It symbolizes peace of mankind. The original sculpture is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

It was placed in the water on August 22 ,1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954. 

Jesus Under Water #2

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

This approximate nine foot tall bronze sculpture is at the bottom the Ocean at Key Largo Dry Rocks off John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This statue is a replica of the original "Il Christo Degli Abissi" or in English - "Christ of the Abyss". It symbolizes peace of mankind. The original sculpture is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

It was placed in the water on August 22 ,1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954. 

Christ Under Water #1

follow this link to see video taken by scuba diver of replica statue in Key Largo

The original sculpture, (above) the "Il Cristo degli Abissi", is in the Mediterranean sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera. It was placed in the water on 22 August 1954 at approximately 17 meters depth, and stands 2.5 meters (8.5 feet) tall. Professor Guido Galletti cast the original from the inspiration of the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, swimmer/diver Duilo Merchant. Galletti wanted a symbol to inspire all who explored and loved the sea in 1954.  

The statue depicts Christ in a pose offering peace. His hands and head are raised toward the surface (or the sky, when positioned above water). Due to increasing amounts of corrosion and the growth of crustaceans, the statue was removed from the water and restored in 2003. A hand that had been detached by an anchor was also replaced. The statue was returned to the water with a new base on 17 July 2004.

About Me & This Blog

My name is Chuck Ness, and I have been a blogger since 1998. I began writing commentaries on Christian and political matters for a few blogs as a guest writer, when I was picked up by the Chico Enterprise Record's Blog. At the time I lived in Chico CA, and I frequently commented on articles posted in the blog section of my hometown newspapers website. One of the blogs I frequented was Post Scripts.

After some time, the owners of the blog, Jack Lee and Tina Grazier, invited me to write as a guest for them. It wasn't long before my writings came to the attention of the editor of Norcal Blogs, which carries all the blogs of the Enterprise Record. I was given my own blog to write, which I named, "GATE". For the next couple years I had the number one blog with the paper. My blog was averaging 100,000 hits a Month, more than 3 times as many visitors read my blog than any of the other blogs.