John Lennon statue unveiling Friday

A sculpture of The Beatles’ John Lennon (1940-1980) will be inaugurated today in front of the Soledad Church in downtown San José, according to San José Mayor Johnny Araya. The ceremony will take place in the plaza in front of the church at 6 p.m.

The statue, by Cuban artist José Ramón Villa, has been criticized for its cost of ₡7 million ($14,000). According to the daily La Nacíon, the square where it will be placed also was where Costa Ricans burned records of the famous British quartet in the 1960s after Lennon said The Beatles were more popular than Jesus.