Renovation Construction for Rio Shuttlecock Cathedral Nearing Completion

A before and after image of the soon to be fully renovated Shuttlecock Cathedral in Rio.

RIO DE JANEIRO––As construction efforts to renovate Rio De Janeiro’s cathedral into a multi-purpose worship/badminton arena continue this month, sightseers from across the globe are flocking to the second-largest city in Brazil to witness the unique transformation. As both World You Day and 2016 Summer Olympics draw near, the Catedral Metropolitano de São Sebastião is just weeks away from being completed. A red dome attached in the final stages of the renovation project, which is expected to make it look more than ever like a shuttlecock is not only a symbol of the sport that unites countries from around the world every four years, but, as chief architect Rodrigo Silva says, will symbolize the Ascension of the Lord. “Because just as the Lord ascended into heaven, so then does the shuttlecock, when struck properly, ascend into the air, or something like that.” Silva went on to tell Eye of the Tiber that multipurpose cathedral will most come into play, so to speak, during the Summer Olympics when badminton matches conclude, and the court is transformed into a Catholic worship center. “As the world’s spotlight turns to Brazil, we are looking forward to sharing our rich culture of lawn-sports with all the travelers who will see this magnificent structure. If you are one of those who say Catholic Cathedrals should invoke the heavenly and eternal, then first visit Rio, see our badminton church, and then let’s talk.”