Poland ponders giving Jesus an earthly realm

A move is underway to make Jesus Christ the honorary king of Poland, the country's influential Rzeczpospolita newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The paper said the idea already has the backing of 10 per cent of the members in the 460-seat lower house of parliament.

More deputies in parliament would likely join in championing the cause if the country's clergy give their backing to the idea, Rzeczpospolita said.

One deputy, Artur Gorski, said some of his colleagues "were praying in the parliamentary chapel for [Jesus's] coronation," the paper reported.

The move is not without precedence in the staunchly Roman Catholic country of 38.5 million.

In the 17th century, Mary, the mother of Jesus, was made honorary queen of the country after it was believed she helped win a battle with Sweden.

The last pope, John Paul II, was archbishop of Krakow before being elected to the papacy.

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