New York Marathon 'Jesus' Carrying a Cross, Running for Boston Marathon Bombing Victims (Video)

By Rebecca Keller

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The New York City Marathon falls just after Halloween, so it is not a surprise to see some runners in costume.

On Sunday, one particular costume caught the attention of thousands of spectators -- a barefoot man dressed as Jesus with a cross strapped across his back  Many people snapped photos of 'Jesus' and uploaded them to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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According to the NYC Marathon website, his bib number - 55970 - belongs to Makoto Takeuchi, from Chiba, Japan.

Though some commented this is the "craizest costume", ESPN reporter Michele Steele tweeted that he was participating for a higher purpose, as a sign on the back of the cross declared that he was running for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, according to the Huffington Post. Some reports say that on the back of the cross were the words "Pray for Boston". 

Last year, the damage from Superstorm Sandy forced the cancellation of NYC Marathon. Then on April 15 in Boston, two bombs exploded near the finish line, killing three people and injuring more than 260.

Indeed, this is not the first time that 'Jesus' was spotted in a race. He has also been spotted at the Los Angeles and Tokyo Marathons in the past.

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