A decapitated statue of baby Jesus outside a Catholic church in northern Ontario will remain headless this Christmas, as the church says it will be months before the head can be reattached.
The statue at the Ste. Anne des Pins parish in Sudbury, Ont., which was vandalized about a year ago, first captured the world’s attention when it was fitted with a temporary clay head.
READ MORE: Stolen head from Ontario church’s statue of Christ returned, orange replacement removed
The bright orange terracotta head, crafted by a local artist, prompted comparisons on social media to a character from “The Simpsons,” and was later removed so it woudn’t stain the white stone of the statue.
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The original head was recovered earlier this month after being stolen by someone the church described as a “troubled teen.”
READ MORE: Vandalized Jesus statue at Ontario church turning heads on social media
The church’s priest, Gerard Lajeunesse, says it will be months before it can be reattached to the statue, partly due to logistical issues.
Lajeunesse says they have to decide who they should hire, how much it will cost, and what they need to do to prevent similar vandalism from happening again.
WATCH: Jesus statue in Sudbury turns heads (Oct. 21)