Hint, Hint

One of the major landmarks in the Christian state of Ohio, a sixty-two-foot statue of Jesus, has been incinerated by an act of God. The unexpectedly artistic miracle transformed the foam-and-fibreglass lump of Bible-kitsch into a superb pillar of fire on Monday night, and left only the steel frame behind. Natives of the area are already rescuing bits of the foam that fell into a nearby pond, where penitents will doubtless queue to be baptised from now on. Darlene Bishop, a co-pastor of the church who, as befits her surname, exhibits a healthy scepticism towards the Saviour's promises about the rewards of taking no thought for the morrow, says the idol will be rebuilt, "but this time we are going to try for something fireproof".