One of the most famous statues in the world and certainly the most recognizable in Brazil is the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Installed on Mount Corcovado at an altitude of more than 700 meters, she looks at the huge city below her with outstretched arms in a gesture of blessing. The Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro, due to its fame, attracts millions of tourists to Mount Corcovado. From its height there is a beautiful view of the city of ten million with its bays, beaches, and the Maracana stadium.

In 1884, a small railway was built to the mountain, along which construction materials were delivered later. The reason for the construction of the Christ monument was the approaching anniversary of the centenary of Brazilian independence in 1922. A fundraiser was announced to create a monument in what was then the capital of Brazil. For example, the magazine O Cruzeiro collected about 2.2 million reais from its subscription. The church, represented by Archbishop Sebastian Leme, also actively participated in the preparation of the financial fund.

The idea of ​​Christ with outstretched arms, resembling a cross from a distance, belongs to the artist Carlos Osvaldo. According to this first model, the statue of Christ was supposed to stand on the globe.

The final design, according to which the sculpture was created, was created by Heitor da Silva Costa. According to it, the height of the structure is 38 meters, of which 8 meters goes to the pedestal, and the arm span reaches 28 meters. With such amazing dimensions, the total weight of the structure was 1145 tons.

The technologies of Brazil at that time did not allow most of the work to implement such a project, so all the parts of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil were created in France, from where they were safely delivered to Brazil and transported to the installation site via the constructed railway. From the end of the railway to the statue itself, a path of 220 steps was built, called “Karakol”. Interestingly, there is a chapel inside the basement of the monument.

The construction of the monument took about nine years. The opening and consecration of the statue took place on October 12, 1931. The statue quickly took on the role of a symbol of Rio de Janeiro and all of Brazil. And in 2007 it was elected one of the new seven wonders of the world.

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Statue of Christ the Redeemer: history and where it is located

Where is the statue of Christ the Redeemer located?

Many have seen images of a huge statue of Jesus Christ with his arms spread wide. Its correct name is the statue of Christ the Redeemer. It rises above the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and is located near it on the peak of Mount Corcovado. This statue presents a gorgeous view in the evening. The figure of Christ, illuminated by pillars of light, seems to be descending into a falling asleep city. In Rio de Janeiro, no matter where you look, you will always see this huge statue, which seems to be trying to embrace the whole world with its gigantic arms.

The history of the creation of the statue of Christ the Redeemer

Since ancient times, the mountain on which the statue stands was called the Mountain of Temptation and was mentioned in the Bible. Later, in the Middle Ages, it was called Corcovado, which means “hunchback.” This name was given to it due to its bizarre shape, which resembled a hump. The first expedition to this mountain went in 1824.

The idea of ​​​​creating a statue of Christ on Mount Corcovado first came to the mind of the Catholic clergyman Pedro Maria Boss in 1859. When he arrived in Rio de Janeiro, the magnificent view of the mountain overwhelmed him. Then Father Pedro decided to ask Princess Isabella, daughter of the Emperor of Brazil, to finance this project. And to ensure the success of his business, he proposed to name the statue in honor of the princess. However, at that time the state could not afford such large expenses, so the decision to erect the statue was postponed until 1889. However, even then Father Pedro’s plan was not destined to come true. The church, during the change in the form of government, was separated from the state, and the clergy could no longer ask for funding for such projects.

In 1884, construction of the railway was completed, which ran right up to Mount Corcovado. Later, it was along this road that materials for the construction of the statue were brought.

The idea of ​​​​building a statue of Christ the Redeemer was remembered only in 1921.

Then, on the initiative of Catholic organizations in Rio de Janeiro, it was decided to erect a statue on Mount Corcovado, colossal in size, which could be seen from any part of the city. This monument was supposed to become not only a symbol of Christianity, but also a symbol of the liberation and revival of the country. During the week, activists collected signatures and donations; this period was called “Monument Week.” Residents of the city liked this idea, they willingly donated various amounts of money. Of course, the church also made considerable financial investments. The erection of the statue of Christ the Redeemer is a real people's project.

The erection of the statue of the “city fathers” was also inspired by the fact that very soon, in 1922, Brazil was to celebrate 100 years of independence from Portugal. Therefore, they decided to begin construction of the monument as soon as possible. The start date for the creation of the statue of Christ the Redeemer is considered to be April 22, 1921. It was decided to build the monument from reinforced concrete and soapstone.

For the version of the statue that now towers over Rio de Janeiro, we should be grateful to the engineer Heitor da Silva Costa. It was he who suggested depicting Christ with his arms outstretched to the sides. The meaning of this pose lies in the phrase “All things are in the hands of God.”

The image of Christ was completed by the artist Carlos Oswald, and calculations for the installation of the monument were made by Costa Hissses, Pedro Viana and Heitor Levi. In 1927, everything was ready for the construction of the statue of Christ the Redeemer - from drawings and calculations to materials.

Records from those times say that everyone involved in the project was inspired and made every effort. Some engineers and artists even pitched tents and lived near the site where the statue was being erected.

An interesting fact is that foreigners also helped the Brazilians in the construction of this monument. For example, the head and hands of Christ were made from plaster in France by sculptor Paul Landowski, and were later transported to Brazil. Also, many French engineers participated in the development of the drawings. They also suggested using a reinforced concrete frame, although before that it was decided to make the frame from steel. And the soapstone from which the outer layer of the statue was made was brought from Sweden. This material was most suitable for such a colossal structure due to its strength and ease of use.

The construction of the statue lasted about 4 years and, finally, in 1931, the solemn opening ceremony of the statue of Christ the Redeemer took place. The size and complexity of the monument’s execution amazed everyone present at the ceremony. Tears appeared in the eyes of many believers. And many years later, people continue to be amazed by this truly gigantic structure, which carries a hidden meaning.

The majesty of the statue of Christ the Redeemer

Every year, thousands of tourists and pilgrims travel a long way to admire the majesty of the statue of Christ the Redeemer. At the same time, the huge and meek figure of Christ spreads his arms over Rio de Janeiro, and perhaps the whole world, as if hugging and protecting it. This monument was recognized as one of the 7 New Wonders of the World. Its height is 38 meters, its arm span is 30 meters, and the monument weighs 1145 tons.

An interesting fact is that during the severe storm that swept through Rio de Janeiro on July 10, 2008 and caused a lot of destruction to the city, it did not affect the statue of Christ the Redeemer in any way. Even the lightning that struck her left no trace. Pragmatists associate this with the dielectric properties of soapstone, and believers, of course, give this fact a sacred meaning.

The most famous and majestic statue in Rio de Janeiro - the figure of Christ the Redeemer, which adorns the top of the South American mountain Corcovado.

This is Brazil's largest statue of Christ: he spreads his arms over the bustling metropolis in a gesture of blessing. The building has long attracted tourists from all over the world - tours to Corcovado are popular due to visits to observation decks, as well as beautiful views of the city of ten million, cozy bays and coves, clubs and Ipanema beach, and the grandiose famous Maracana stadium. The monument was erected in the center of Tijuca National Park.

Christ statue in Rio: history

In 1921, the country was preparing to celebrate the approaching centenary of Brazilian independence. By this date, it was decided to build a monument to Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado. The city authorities announced a competition for the best design of the monument, and fundraising began immediately.

• More than 2.2 million reais were raised for the construction of a statue of Christ in Brazil. The Catholic Church was actively involved in financing the project. The city's Archbishop Sebastian Leme oversaw the construction of the architectural masterpiece.

• The initial version of the monument was a sketch by the talented artist Carlos Oswald, who proposed to depict the Savior with his hands open in a blessing gesture. The statue in Brazil would become a unique symbol of the Christian faith and would look like a huge cross. They planned to install the reinforced concrete Jesus on a pedestal made in the shape of a globe. Brazilian engineer da Silva Costa developed the final design for the national monument.

• During construction, soapstone was used, thanks to which the statue was well strengthened, giving its surface a special aesthetics.

• The country's technologies did not provide for the presence of workshops of such a scale, so to implement the project, it was decided to create the masterpiece in parts in France. In the mid-20s, the French sculptor Landowski modeled the head of the future statue, which was about 4 meters high. Next we started making the hands. Gradually, all the parts were made of hard and pliable stone, but they needed careful transportation to the mountain.

• The statue in Rio de Janeiro was delivered to Brazil in disassembled form and lifted up along a small railway built specifically for this purpose. The Karakol path was laid from the tracks - workers raised the parts of the monument up 220 steps.

• It took nine years to build this grandiose statue in Rio de Janeiro. The finished height of the structure was 38 meters, of which more than 30 meters are devoted directly to the figure of Christ. The statue weighs 635 tons, while the span of its arms reached 28 meters. It was decided to install Jesus on a picturesque natural hill 700 meters high.

On a solemn date in October 1931, authorities and citizens opened and consecrated this new symbol of Rio.

Design Features

The most beautiful statue in Brazil, due to its majestic size and favorable landscape, is clearly visible even at a great distance. You can admire the real splendor in the evening - the statue is illuminated by a whole system of huge spotlights.

Inside this statue of Christ, famous outside of Brazil, a chapel was opened, located in the basement. Now the chapel has become a place of pilgrimage for wedding processions. Tourists eagerly come here, who, in addition to impressions, try to take with them miniature stone models of the statue from the local souvenir shop.

The arms of Christ are wide open in the embrace: the gesture symbolizes sincere and all-forgiving love for people. Locals believe that Jesus hugs everyone who comes to him. In 2007, the statue was elected one of the new wonders of the world.

The observation deck is located at the feet of the statue: you can get there by escalator, road or steps. The site offers magical panoramas of Rio and the surrounding area.

The monument has already undergone preventive and major repairs several times. In 2008, the statue was struck by lightning and was slightly damaged: restoration work lasted two years. The craftsmen managed to renew the outer layer of the stone, repair the fingers and head of the statue, and install new lightning rods. In the same year, the monument was subjected to an unexpected act of vandalism - having climbed the scaffolding left by the workers, the attackers left inscriptions and drawings on the face of Christ.

Every year the statue undergoes mandatory condition monitoring and inspection; work is underway to prevent corrosion and improve the protection of the monument.

To see this grandiose statue in Brazil with your own eyes, you should go on a trip to the South American continent. Specialists will be able to offer many options for visiting this country on the most reasonable terms and at reasonable prices!

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer (port. Cristo Redentor) is the famous statue of Christ with outstretched arms on the top of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro. It is a symbol of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil in general. The statue of Christ the Redeemer can rightfully be considered one of the most majestic buildings of mankind. Its size and beauty, combined with the panorama opening from the observation deck at the foot of the statue, will take the breath away of anyone who happens to be there.

It stands on top of the Corcovado hill at an altitude of 704 meters above sea level. The height of the statue itself is 30 meters, not counting the seven-meter pedestal, and its weight is 1140 tons. The idea for this structure originated in 1922, when the centenary of Brazilian independence was celebrated. A well-known weekly magazine then announced a competition of projects for the best monument - a symbol of the nation. The winner, Hector da Silva Costa, came up with the idea of ​​a sculpture of Christ with his arms outstretched and embracing the entire city.

This gesture expresses compassion and at the same time joyful pride. Da Silva's idea was received with enthusiasm by the public also because it crossed out the previous plan to erect a grandiose monument to Christopher Columbus on Mount Pan de Azucar. The church immediately got involved, organizing a fundraiser across the country to finance the project.

An interesting detail: due to technological imperfections, it was not possible to create such a statue in Brazil at that time. Therefore, it was manufactured in France, and then transported in parts to the site of future installation. First by water to Brazil, then by miniature railway to the top of Mount Corcovado. In total, construction cost the equivalent of 250 thousand US dollars at that time.

Before work began, architects, engineers and sculptors met in Paris to discuss all the technical problems of installing the statue on a hilltop, where it was exposed to all winds and other meteorological influences. Work on the design and creation of the statue took place in Paris. It was then transported to Rio de Janeiro and installed on Corcovado Hill. On October 12, 1931, its first grand opening and consecration took place; by this day, the lighting installation was also installed.

In 1965, Pope Paul VI repeated the consecration ceremony, and the lighting installation was also updated for the occasion. Another great celebration took place here in the presence of Pope John Paul II on October 12, 1981, when the fiftieth anniversary of the statue itself was celebrated.

The statue of Christ the Savior is considered one of the modern wonders of the world. The height of the stone monument is 30 meters, not counting the seven-meter pedestal; the head of the statue weighs 35.6 tons; the hands weigh 9.1 tons each, and the arm span is 23 meters. Built in 1885, the tram line now leads almost to the top of the hill: the final stop is just forty meters below the statue. From there you need to climb 220 steps of a staircase to the pedestal on which the observation deck is located.

In 2003, an escalator was opened that takes you to the foot of the famous statue. From here you can clearly see the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema stretching on the right hand, and on the left the giant bowl of the Maracana, the world's largest stadium, and the international airport. From the sea side rises the unique silhouette of Mount Pan di Azucar. The statue of Christ the Redeemer is a national treasure and a national Brazilian shrine.

The statue of Christ the Savior is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, and weighs 635 tons. Due to its size and location, the statue is clearly visible from a fairly large distance. And in certain lighting, it looks truly divine.

But even more impressive is the view of Rio de Janeiro from the observation deck located at the foot of the statue. You can get to it by the highway, and then by steps and escalators.

Twice, in 1980 and 1990, major repairs were carried out on the statue. Also, preventative work was carried out several times. In 2008, the statue was struck by lightning and damaged slightly. Work to restore the outer layer on the fingers and head of the statue, as well as to install new lightning rods, began in 2010.

It was then that the statue of Christ the Savior was subjected to the first and only act of vandalism in its entire history. Someone climbed onto the scaffolding and painted pictures and inscriptions on the face of Christ.

Every year about 1.8 million tourists will climb to the foot of the monument. Therefore, when the new seven wonders of the world were named in 2007, the statue of Christ the Savior was included in their list.

Christ spread his arms over the huge city, as if blessing the millions of people living in it. Far below are houses, streets with colorful spots of cars, a long yellow strip stretching along the bay, and on the other side, bordered by green palm trees, is the famous multi-kilometer Copacabana beach. On the other hand of Christ you can see the no less famous bowl of the Maracana stadium", which was glorified by the Brazilian football wizards, five-time world champions, the international airport, and beyond the surface of the bay, on the other side, silhouettes of distant mountains are visible in the haze of fog.

Here, standing at the feet of Christ, you understand what an amazingly beautiful place the Portuguese conquistadors who foundedXVIcentury on the shores of Guanabara Bay fort, which very quickly became the city of Rio de Janeiro and the capital of the Viceroyalty of Brazil, one of the colonies of Portugal.

Only in 1822 did Brazil become an independent state, called first the Brazilian Empire, and from 1889 the Republic of Brazil. The capital of the state is Rio de Janeiro continued to be until 1960, when it lost this honor to the new city of Brasilia, but remained one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. No wonder the Brazilians themselves say about him this way: “God created the world in six days, and on the seventh he created Rio de Janeiro».

To be fair, it must be said that there are other similar majestic statues of Christ on Earth. In Italy, a huge stone Savior rises above the city of Maratea. In the Dominican Republic, on the island of Haiti - above the city Puerto Plata. But in Rio de Janeiro he is the most majestic and stands tallest...

Rio de Janeiro, day two.
Today, the impression of Rio has noticeably improved - apparently, Rio belongs to that rare type of city that has an absolutely faded and nondescript center and all the beauties and attractions in them are scattered on the outskirts - in this Rio is partly similar to Los Angeles. So, from my hostel, located near the Praca Onze metro station, I got to the Cosme Velho railway station, from where trains go to Mount Corcovado, with two transfers - two buses and a metro. Upon arrival, it turned out that there were no train tickets for the next two and a half hours - it was a full house, everything was sold out. I really didn’t want to climb the mountain on foot, and the railway itself is an attraction: the elevation difference is 690 meters, in one place it passes over a bridge 170 meters long; so, while waiting for the train, I had to wander around the Laranjeiras area, choose souvenirs and drink coffee in cafes. Every cloud has a silver lining - during this time I bought all the planned Brazilian souvenirs and gifts. And just sitting for an hour in a cafe under a palm tree, leisurely sipping coffee and finally realizing that you are not just anywhere, but in Rio de Janeiro - this is worth a lot.

Laranjeiras area(Laranjeiras) is a fairly prosperous area of ​​Rio. The official residence of the governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro (in the Laranjeiras Palace) and the city hall (in the Guanabara Palace) are located here. Surroundings of Cosme Velho station:

Mount Corcovado: in 1501, after discovering Guanabara Bay, Amerigo Vespucci named the hill overlooking the coast Pinaculo Da Tentação (“Peak of Temptation”) after the example of the biblical mountain near the city of Jericho, where Jesus spent forty days in fasting and was tempted by the devil. The modern name Corcovado (“hillock”, “hump”) appeared already in the 17th century; one version says that the name supposedly comes from the Latin cor quo vado? (“heart, where am I going?”).

Statue of Christ the Redeemer: The idea of ​​​​building a religious monument on the top of the mountain arose in 1859, when the Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss proposed the project for consideration by Princess Regent Isabel, daughter of Emperor Don Pedro II of Brazil - but then followed the proclamation of the republic and other turbulent historical events, so all interested people no longer cared about the monument. The idea was returned to again on the eve of the centenary of Brazilian independence, in the 1920s. Construction began on April 4, 1922; According to the original design, Jesus held a cross in his left hand and a globe in his right. However, even before the completion of construction, local residents got into the habit of depicting a soccer ball instead of a globe in numerous cartoons, and the idea with a cross and a ball had to be abandoned. Grand opening Christ the Redeemer statues(Cristo Redentor) took place on October 12, 1931; in 1937, the statue was officially recognized as a monument under state protection; in 2006, the Catholic Church declared it a place of pilgrimage, and a year later, in a vote by SMS, telephone and Internet, it was recognized as one of the “seven wonders of the world of the New Age.”




The statue is really nice and the views from the mountain are amazing - all wonderful, but being the world famous "emblem" of Rio, the statue attracts crazy crowds of tourists. And many of them strive to stand exactly in front of the statue, spread their arms out to the sides and stand like that while their friends take pictures of them in the “statue pose” against the background of the original - you have to carefully bend around these “statues” in the crowd, trying not to touch their outstretched limbs. And one Russian-speaking comrade climbed onto the parapet, raised his hands to the sky and let his companion yell from there exactly how to photograph him.

At the examination room, such an episode happened - someone once again screamed heart-rendingly in my ear - and out of surprise, I cursed loudly out loud in Russian. Suddenly I hear: “Are you from Russia? Hello!" It turned out that the seller of the souvenir stall, a long-time immigrant from Ukraine, heard the Russian obscenity and was so happy about it that we began a friendly conversation, during which he even gave me a piece of agate from his assortment for luck. So now I have an agate from Mount Corcovado. So, it took me about five hours to visit the statue of Christ - I recommend leaving plenty of time and going there as early as possible so as not to wait for the train like I did. By the way, at 11 am tickets were sold only for the train departing at 13:30, and at 13:00 - only for the 16:00 train; so, having arrived at the station for lunch, it is quite possible to make it to the top only by sunset. And all this was in early November, that is, not yet at the height of the tourist season.

Main attraction Urca district(Urca) is, of course, Sugarloaf Mountain(Pao de Azucar). The rock rising in Guanabara Bay, along with the statue of Christ the Redeemer, is the second most popular postcard subject of Rio. The lower station of the cable car is located on Pasteur Avenue (Avenida Pasteur, 520), from where the carriages first reach the intermediate station on the Morro da Urca hill (217 m), and from there to the top of Sugar Loaf (395 m).




Having reached the top, I decided to wait for sunset and look at the sunset and night Rio - judging by the reviews, it is best to do this from Sugar Loaf. Looking from the top of Sugar Loaf at the panorama of the evening Rio, you begin to understand why this city is considered one of the great cities of the world. There is something mesmerizing in this spectacle - the hills in the evening haze, and the ocean rolling onto the city beaches and even the favelas climbing up the hillsides.
By the way, about greatness: Rio managed to be not only the capital of Brazil (when the capital of the Viceroyalty of Brazil was moved here from El Salvador), but even the capital of the entire Portuguese colonial empire - when in 1808, fleeing Napoleon, the Prince Regent of Portugal fled to Brazil Don Juan VI is together throughout his court.

The statue of Christ the Redeemer is one of the most memorable figures of the artistic heritage. The giant sculpture has long become the “signature” of the former Brazilian capital. This is easy to notice when the first scene about a tropical country is shown in a movie. What can we say about tourist brochures... However, the history of the monument is no less interesting than its appearance.

Location of the Christ the Redeemer Statue

Brazil's most recognizable statue stands on Corcovado, a mountain over 700 meters high. At its foot a stunning panorama opens up. After all, the attraction is installed near the main bays of the ten million metropolis - with its yachts and luxurious embankments. In addition, from here you can see all the most worthy things in Rio - the Maracana stadium (which is a giant bowl), as well as bays with the beautiful Sugar Head Mountain and the famous Ipanema and Copacabana (the main beaches of Rio).

How to get to the Christ the Redeemer statue

This height can be reached by an electrified railway. By the way, it is the first in Brazil and is the brainchild of two local engineers. The time of its creation is the beginning of the eighties of the century before last. By the way, it is this transport structure that plays an important role in the construction of the statue of Christ the Redeemer itself (with the help of it construction materials were delivered here). Nowadays a small train runs on the railway.

Tourists can get to Rio de Janeiro in different ways - by plane, ship, train and car. It all depends on the point of departure.

Once in the largest Brazilian city, you can catch a taxi. It is worth warning that this is not a cheap pleasure. Therefore, budget tourists are advised to wait for the bus. There are two trains running from the city center to the Corcovado hills. It takes about 20 – 25 minutes to drive along the railway quickly.

You can also get to the statue of Christ the Redeemer by car. To do this, you need to choose the highway passing through the Tijuca National Park as your route. Along the way, you can stop here for an excursion. Interesting fact: the local vegetation area is the largest urban park in the world.

The main idea of ​​a work of art

Christ the Redeemer extended his arms in blessing. Instilling with this gesture a special spirituality in the devout Catholic population, he looks out over the large picturesque city. Thanks to his respectable height, he sees everyone here... Jesus, as it were, forgives the sins of everyone who lived in Rio and lives there to this day.

The historical circumstance for the creation of the giant Christ was the upcoming Independence Day of the country in 1922. It was supposed to be an unusual holiday, because Brazil was celebrating its hundredth anniversary free from Portugal...

Chronicle of the creation of the statue of Christ the Redeemer

As indicated, in 1884 a small railway was built up the mountain. So-called soapstone began to be delivered by rail to Corcovado. It was from this that the monument was supposed to be built. To create it, a fundraiser was announced in the former capital of Brazil. O Cruzeiro magazine alone, thanks to its subscribers, has raised more than two million reais for a good cause. The church, namely the then Catholic Archbishop, also participated in the accumulation of finances.

The history of the birth of the project is interesting. The outstretched arms of Christ, resembling a cross from a distance, appeared thanks to the idea of ​​Carlos Osvaldo, an artist who decided to place Christ on a model of the globe. But the option with a globe did not appeal to the public. In view of this, the final project (the sculpture was created based on it) was a sketch by Heitor da Silva Costa. It is thanks to him that the height of today’s structure is 38 meters (eight meters is the height of the pedestal). The span of Christ's arms reaches 28 meters. The total weight of the sculpture was an astonishing 1,145 tons.

Brazilian technology of those years did not allow the bulk of the work to be completed within the country - fragments of the sculpture were created in France. From there they were transported along the above railway route to the installation site. From the railway dead end to the point of the future monument, the builders erected 220 steps (the pedestrian path was called “Karakol”). It is amazing that there is a chapel built right inside the basement. The statue of Christ the Redeemer itself took about 9 years to erect.

The opening and consecration took place on October 12, 1931. The symbol of the largest South American state in 2007 officially became a new wonder of the world.

Christ the Redeemer and today's Brazilians

In 2010, in mid-April, the statue of Christ the Redeemer was attacked for the first time by vandals. Hooligan climbers splashed black paint on the hands and face of the statue. And yet this seemed not enough to them. Visitors have left some phrases here. The utilities removed this disgrace promptly. But vandals are not the only threat to the monument. Scientists have calculated that on average, in some years, the statue is struck by four lightning strikes. One of them was recorded in the last month of 2013, the last one literally four weeks later. This time, during a severe storm, the “thunderbolt” chipped off the tips of his middle and thumb.