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A ski resort in Northern California sparked outrage online as it was revealed that it plans to erect a 20-foot statue of the Virgin Mary. According to a Facebook announcement made by Mt. Shasta Ski Park in McCloud on December 10, the resort will build the statue by next summer and the platform for the effigy atop its Douglas Butte will be in place this season.
The installation of the statue was reportedly "very important" to the owner of the ski park, Robin Merlo, and her late husband, Ray. Three years after the couple bought the property in rural Siskiyou County, Ray Merlo passed away in 2020. Speaking about the couple, the Facebook post read:
"They have dedicated their resources to improving the Ski Park over the last few years and in the words of Robin Merlo, this statue is a promise fulfilled and a true representation of the dedication to family that we all value so much here at the Ski Park."
It added:
“The goal is not to focus on any one religion but to acknowledge and honor the beauty and spiritual power of the mountain we all love so much.”
However, the announcement did not sit well with many people. Once the post was uploaded on Mt. Shasta Ski Park's Instagram page, netizens took to the comment section to express their dissatisfaction about the same.
Instagram users react as California ski resort plans to build a statue of the Virgin Mary
Netizens were furious about the California ski resort's plans to install a 20-foot statue of the Virgin Mary. The statue is expected to be built at a height of 6,600 feet, at the top of Douglas Butte on Mt. Shasta
According to the official statement, the platform will be visible this season and the project is anticipated to be completed the following year.
However, an online petition against the statue was created and shared by Joe Skibum on Change.org. It urged the U.S. Forest Service to step in and demand that the erection of the statue be stopped "immediately." As of Saturday, December 16, the petition had already garnered over 1,775 signatures out of 2,500.
"Many of us have been skiing at our beloved local ski park in Mount Shasta since childhood. It has always been a place of joy, unity, and natural beauty. However, recent efforts to erect a religious statue threaten to disrupt this cherished environment,” the petition read.
The petition also stated that the statue would be a disturbance and that it was being built in "one of the most beautiful natural vistas" atop the Douglas.
"Patrons of the ski park appreciate the natural beauty and spirituality for what it is already, without intrusive religious icons disturbing the environment. We ask the owners of Mount Shasta Ski Park to cease and desist this construction project immediately," the petition continued.
Netizens took to the comments section of Mt. Shasta Ski Park's Instagram post and reacted to the ski resort's announcement.
The California ski resort is yet to respond to the petition and the backlash they have been receiving ever since they announced their new project.
