Waldemar Deska / EPA

A 46-foot-high statue of Pope John Paul II was installed at the Miniature Park in Czestochowa, Poland, on Sunday. The monument, which is reputed to be the world's largest statue of the former pope, is set to be formally unveiled on April 13.  

John Paul II was beatified in a ceremony at the Vatican on May 1, 2011, bringing him a step closer to sainthood.

-- European PressPhoto Agency

Related: Much-mocked pope statue gets a makeover

Waldemar Deska / EPA

Waldemar Deska / EPA

Slideshow: A historic papacy

Wojtek Laski / Getty Images

View a timeline of photographs spanning the life of Pope John Paul II.

Launch slideshow

Gregorio Borgia / AP

This combined picture shows Italian sculptor Oliviero Rainaldi's statue of Pope John Paul II before its restoration, left, on Sept. 23, 2011, and at its inauguration after the restoration, in Rome on Nov. 19, 2012.

The Associated Press reports — The city of Rome has inaugurated a revamped statue of Pope John Paul II after the first one was pilloried by the public and the Vatican.

Pope or Mussolini? Statue sparks uproar

Artist Oliviero Rainaldi says he's pleased with the final product, saying it matches his original vision. He blamed foundry workers for a botched assemblage the first time around.

The statue was restored after Rainaldi was pilloried by the Vatican for creating a sculpture of Pope John Paul II that some mockingly said looked more like Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini than the beloved late pontiff. Even the Vatican's own art critic wrote that it looked like a "bomb" had landed. 

Gregorio Borgia / AP

A woman stops to look at the newly unveiled Pope John Paul II statue in Rome on Nov. 19, 2012.

Follow @NBCNewsPictures

•Sign up for the NBCNews.com Photos Newsletter

Pope John Paul's coffin was exhumed on Friday ahead of his beatification as tens of thousands of people began arriving in Rome for one of the biggest events since his funeral in 2005.

The Vatican said the coffin was removed from the crypts below St. Peter's Basilica while top Vatican officials and some of the late pope's closest aides looked on and prayed. Continue reading.

Osservatore Romano via Reuters

The coffin containing the body of Pope John Paul II is exhumed ahead of his beatification in the Vatican April 29.

Osservatore Romano via Reuters

The coffin containing the body of Pope John Paul II is exhumed ahead of his beatification in the Vatican on April 29.

As the Vatican prepares to move the late pontiff one step closer to sainthood this Sunday, Rome has been caught up with beatification fever. Claudio Lavanga reports for NBC News:

Pawel Ulatowski / AFP - Getty Images

Polish Catholic priests warm up on Feb. 12 ahead of the 14th Alpine Ski Championships for clergymen in Wisla, southern Poland.

Pawel Ulatowski / AFP - Getty Images

Priests limber up before taking to the slopes.

Pawel Ulatowski / AFP - Getty Images

A priest puts on his ski boots.

Pawel Ulatowski / AFP - Getty Images

Priests take to the slopes.

Pawel Ulatowski / AFP - Getty Images

A priest competes in the 14th Alpine Skiing Championships for clergymen.

I've hunted high and low for more information on this very special event, but all I can find is this tantalizing snippet from thenews.pl:

Skiers in clerical collars are out in force this weekend in the resort of Wisła in the Beskid Mountains for the national skiing championships for priests.

The leaders of the faith compete for the Pope John Paul II Cup in several Alpine disciplines, the main of which [sic] is the 800-metre-long giant slalom.

The tradition of such events goes back to the early 1980s. Click to see more of today's best images.