Ohio giant Jesus statue gets facelift

MONROE, Ohio (AP) — A giant depiction of Jesus Christ that has become one of southwest Ohio’s most familiar landmarks is getting spruced up.

The Solid Rock Church says it is power-washing and painting the eye-catching “King of Kings” statue along Interstate 75 in Monroe, about midway between Cincinnati and Dayton.

Church officials say the work on the 62-foot-tall statue is needed to treat weather exposure. Some 60 gallons of paint will be used.

The statue has been nicknamed “Touchdown Jesus” because its arms are raised upward; some also call it “Big Butter Jesus.”

It has been in place at the evangelical church since 2004. The church says it’s a wood and foam sculpture over a steel framework anchored in concrete, covered with a fiberglass mat and resin.