Some see Virgin Mary in underpass stain
CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- A steady stream of the faithful and the curious, many carrying flowers and candles, have flocked to an expressway underpass for a view of a yellow and white stain on a concrete wall that some believe is an image of the Virgin Mary.
Police have patrolled the emergency turnoff area under the Kennedy Expressway since Monday as hundreds of people have walked down to see the image and the growing memorial of flowers and candles that surround it. Beside the image is an artist's rendering of the Virgin Mary embracing Pope John Paul II in a pose some see echoed in the stain.
"We believe it's a miracle," said Elbia Tello, 42. "We have faith, and we can see her face."
Tuesday morning, women knelt with rosary beads behind a police barricade while men in work shirts stood solemnly before the image, praying. A police officer kept the crowd of about three dozen from getting too close to the traffic but didn't stop them gathering around the stain.
The stain is likely the result of salt run-off, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. The agency does not plan to scrub it off the wall.
"We're treating this just like we treat any type of roadside memorial," said IDOT spokesman Mike Claffey. "We have no plans to clean this site."
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago had not received any requests to authenticate the image as of Monday, spokesman Jim Dwyer said.
"These things don't happen every day," Dwyer said. "Sometimes people ask us to look into it. Most of the time they don't. (The meaning) depends on the individual who sees it. To them, it's real. To them, it reaffirms their faith."
But onlooker Victor Robles, 36, said he was skeptical about the stain's Virgin Mary resemblance.
"I see just a concrete wall and an image that could happen anywhere," Robles said. "If that image helps more people feel closer to God then maybe that is a good sign."
Worldwide, people have been drawn to images believed to resemble the Virgin Mary seen on windows, fence posts and walls.
Among the best-known in the United States was an image seen in office windows in Clearwater, Florida. Within weeks, a half million people had been to the site. Glass experts believe the image was created by a chemical reaction and corrosion of the metallic elements in the glass coating, but they could not explain why it took the shape it did. The windows were broken last year.
MrsSpringsteen said:If people want to "believe in" something like that, I really don't see the harm. People believe in far worse, more harmful, and crazier things than that.
They're not hurting others, so what's the big deal?
ZeroDude said:
Exactly never put down anyones faith, it's a great comfort for many people whatever they're religion, you'd never call those Muslims praying to Mecca crazy would you, nor would I
I love that picture.Headache in a Suitcase said:
the virgin mary... on a piece of grilled cheese...
allegedly...
allegedly people are stupid.
And why not? religion is ideas and ideology and should be questioned, ridiculed and joked about as much as any other set of ideas. Just because people dress up in fancy robes doesn't make their ideas beyond reproach.ZeroDude said:
Exactly never put down anyones faith, it's a great comfort for many people whatever they're religion, you'd never call those Muslims praying to Mecca crazy would you, nor would I
A_Wanderer said:And why not? religion is ideas and ideology and should be questioned, ridiculed and joked about as much as any other set of ideas. Just because people dress up in fancy robes doesn't make their ideas beyond reproach.
Headache in a Suitcase said:
the virgin mary... on a piece of grilled cheese...
trevster2k said:Comparing a pilgrimage to Mecca to this foolishness is like comparing the Olympics to me doing cartwheels in my backyard for my hand-drawn medal.
YellowKite said:
This is what I imagined when I looked at this picture.
Bob: [takes a bite of his cheesy toast] <crunch> MMmmm! This is good.
Mary: <gasp!> Bob, stop! There's a Virgin Mary on your sandwich.
Bob: Holy shit! [drops sandwich]
A_Wanderer said:And why not? religion is ideas and ideology and should be questioned, ridiculed and joked about as much as any other set of ideas. Just because people dress up in fancy robes doesn't make their ideas beyond reproach.
A_Wanderer said:And why not? religion is ideas and ideology and should be questioned, ridiculed and joked about as much as any other set of ideas. Just because people dress up in fancy robes doesn't make their ideas beyond reproach.
Yes I do, I think that we should see an equivalent of the Life of Brian regarding Islam. I think that it is bloody hilarious that people are willing to worship a stain on a wall or have crazy whip yourself until you bleed dances. I think that it is really funny that a fanatical Muslim terrorist can blow themselves to smitherenes and then plausibly go to eternal paradise to enjoy 72 white raisins. They take themselves so seriously the only bloody way to knock them down a few notches and blow away all that pomp and ceremony is to joke about it.ZeroDude said:
There is a differance between ridicule and asking questions, we should question everything but if you feel like everything needs to be ridiculed prepare yourselve for ridicule from others, yes maybe that would make this world even happier
Headache in a Suitcase said:
the virgin mary... on a piece of grilled cheese...
allegedly...
allegedly people are stupid.