Giant underwater Jesus draws hundreds to frozen Lake Michigan

Giant underwater crucifix draws hundreds to frozen Lake Michigan

Unbeknownst to many, Lake Michigan is the home of the only known underwater crucifix in freshwater. And, for the first time in several years, it's visible to the public eye.

Unbeknownst to many, Lake Michigan is home to the only underwater crucifix in freshwater on record. And, for the first time in several years, it's visible to the public eye.

The 11-foot statue, onto which a 5-foot-5-inch figure of Jesus Christ is attached, is located about 260 yards from the shore of the town of Petoskey, in Northern Michigan.

On Saturday, hundreds of people waited in the cold to spot the crucifix through a hole carved in the five feet of ice, below 22 feet of water, WPBN reports.

The story behind the statue's final resting place at the bottom of Lake Michigan stretches back to 1956, when a 15-year-old farm boy died in an accident in the eastern town of Bad Axe, according to Inside Edition. His grieving family decided to purchase the 1,850-pound crucifix from Italy for $2,500 as a way to memorialize him. However, when it arrived, the family refused it because the cross broke during transfer.

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The cross then made its way north to Little Traverse Bay, near Petoskey, in 1962, after being sold in an insurance sale to a diving club. It was ordered to be lowered into Lake Michigan in memory of a diver who lost his life in nearby Torch Lake. Eventually, it became known as a symbol for remembrance of all those who lost their lives at sea.

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The first public viewing of the crucifix was held in 2015, when a record 2,021 people waited in line to view the historic landmark. However, due to weather conditions, it has not been safe enough for crowds to come back and visit until this past weekend.