Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue lit with flags of countries affected by coronavirus

Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue was lit up with flags and messages of hope on Wednesday in solidarity with countries affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The statue, which overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro, was lit up with the flags of countries that have reported cases of the virus.

The message #praytogether was also projected onto the statue in different languages.

Rio de Janeiro’s archbishop Orani João Tempesta held mass at the landmark and the church urged people to pray for the sick all over the world.

The number of coronavirus cases has topped 218,000 world wide and millions of people around the world have been placed on lockdown.

Brazil reported its first case of the virus on February 26, and the infection numbers had risen to 261 by March 17.

Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro have declared states of emergency, reduced public transportation and warned the public to take precautions and avoid large gatherings. Sporting and cultural events have also been canceled and companies are encouraging employees to work from home.