Visiting to this abode of God gives the feel that you are almost reaching God up there because the Cathedral of Maringá, in the downtown of the Maringa in Parana, Brazil is the tallest church in the entire South America and is also the 16th tallest church in the entire world.
The Cathedral of Maringá has a height of 124 metres and got completed in the year 1972. It is inspired by the Russian satellite sputnik and has a modern design of a conical shape. The idea for the church was an inspiration of archbishop Dom Jaime Luiz Coelho and was brought to life by architect José Augusto Bellucci. The design of the church tries to portray it as an abode which is separate from the material world and is nearer to God. As it is a Roman Catholic Church so, the foundation stone was brought from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome which had been blessed by Pope Pius XII. The Cathedral of Maringá was opened in the year the city of Maringa completed 25 years.
The church of Cathedral of Maringá is the landmark of the city and is also built in the centre of the city. The interior of the church which has some brilliant pieces of art installed on the walls has a capacity of holding 4700 devotees. The crucifix of the church is 7 metres tall and made of wood. It has been sculpted by the Brazilian sculptor Conrado Mose and has been coloured by a local Brazilian artist Zanzal Mattar. Just opposite to the Cathedral of Maringá stands the statue of Our Lady of Glory which is a work of one the finest Brazilian sculptor expert in the baroque style of religious art, namely Expedito Sobreiro Ribeiro.
The inner and outer cones of the Cathedral of Maringá are connected by 598 steps which go through 18 floors. On the 14th floor of the cathedral there is an observatory which gives a brilliant view of the city. While going up the stairs you can see the inscriptions given by various priests and important people of Maringa for whom the Cathedral of Maringá is the final sleeping place. The Church also has a museum however as there is no provision of elevators the flight is possible only through stairs.
The story of the city of Maringa and the creation of the Cathedral of Maringá has been documented in the book “A Igreja que brotou da mata” (“The church that grew from the forest”) which has been written by a priest by the name of Orivaldo Robles. It covers the period from the onset of Jesuits in Parana in 17th century down to the current times.