Holy Virgin appears in Colombian thunder storm

Columbia Reports ^ | July 1, 2010 | Pandora Pugsley

[Alex Murphy]

The Holy Virgin risked over-exposure this week after Our Lady of Mount Carmel popped out yet again to the delight of Colombian villagers. The seemingly ubiquitous deity's image was spotted on a wall at a cross-roads by a young boy in Cumural, central Colombia.

"It's true!" said one over-excited neighbour, who personally saw a picture of the Virgin, sporting a crown, robe and scapular and cradling baby Jesus in her arms.

Among theories circulating as to how Our Lady got there, the favourite appeared to be that she was "beamed from the heavens" following a thunder storm.

It wasn't long before the story, which broke on Tuesday, had gone completely viral, attracting even the most hardened cynics from around the department, reports Notillano.com.

Her Holiness does not seem to be publicity-shy. She's made a number of impromptu appearances this year, even turning up in three different guises on one palm tree in Sucre.

Some have been unkind enough to comment that the Virgin is becoming increasingly lax when it comes to finding imaginative hiding places.

Previous efforts have seen her spectacularly materialise out of burning candles, guanabana trees, coffee cups and even a stain on hospital floor in Bogota. Fortunately, this rather more pedestrian incarnation does not seem to have affected her status as a crowd-pleaser.

[count-your-change]

On a slow news day it makes good “filler”. The next thunderstorm everyone can stand on top of their houses hoping to see something. Hoisting something metallic into the air will probably help too.

[Gondring]

Why is it that every apparition of someone in a robe always Mary? Who’s to say it isn’t Gertrude or Betty Sue or Carlos the Cross Dresser?

Good catch!

The palm tree water stains apparition...

...looks like Gertrude. (Evidently the Virgin of Guadalupe and the Virgin of Carmen, holding baby Jesus in her arms, are in there, too...a hat trick!)

The candle-drippings one...

...looks like Betty Sue. (I can't believe how many times she's appeared to me and I've just tossed her out! Sorry, Betty Sue...I didn't know it was you!)

And then there's the hospital floor-stain one...

Yes, it's that dang Carlos! Grrr...messing up the floor!

(Seriously, though, Marian apparitions aren't always in robes, and skin color and other things have differed.)

Note...my apparently flippant response is not anti-Catholic in any way. It's Pro-understanding-why-pareidolia-is-so-prevalent...and natural.

Some fun TED talks...
Michael Shermer on strange beliefs
Michael Shermer: The pattern behind self-deception

"There is an universal tendency among mankind to conceive all beings like themselves, and to transfer to every object, those qualities, with which they are familiarly acquainted, and of which they are intimately conscious. We find human faces in the moon, armies in the clouds; and by a natural propensity, if not corrected by experience and reflection, ascribe malice or good-will to every thing, that hurts or pleases us. Hence the frequency and beauty of the prosopopoeia in poetry; where trees, mountains and streams are personified, and the inanimate parts of nature acquire sentiment and passion."
                                 --David Hume, Natural History of Religion, III

Just remember...Ted Kennedy is on Mars!

[dangus]

The article is written by Americans.

[Gondring]

What, is that supposed to be a real photograph of an apparition? It looks like an image of a plastic statue, superimposed on the photograph.

And I suppose you think these paper cutouts aren't real fairies and that many, many people, including Arthur Conan-Doyle--were just seeing what they wanted to see and believing what they wanted to believe... ("Elsie and Frances" Hoax)

[Gondring]

The article is written by Americans.

I thought she's British.

[RnMomof7]

It reads about the dragon after the woman(Israel ,The Church and Mary) in history.

One of the most misread scriptures by the Catholic church.. and it is disturbing because the whole purpose is to give a title and a position that God has never given her. ."Queen of Heaven"

This scripture is metaphor . The woman is Israel birthing Christ...

[johngrace]

Its all that and more.

[giotto]

Interesting link. As to how Doyle could have created the brilliant Holmes, when his mentality was obviously closer to that of Watson, I can suggest one possibility: In order to depict Holmes, he channeled the spirit of a far superior intellect.

[JoeProBono]

[Quix]

INDEED.

HOWEVER,

GOD ALONE IS OUR REFUGE.

NOT GOVERNMENT.

NOT ANY CHURCH.

NOT ANY GRADUATED PERSONAGE.

GOD ALONE.

[Quix]

hmmmmm

[Quix]

INDEED.

[metmom]

And they’re sure this is Mary how?

[Gondring]

?

[Quix]

Which, being interpreted

meant . . .

LOL,

that I thought that post made a lot of good points.

[Gondring]

Good.

I didn’t know whether it was a hmmm of being skeptical or offended or . . .