Saturday, August 22, 2009

No kissing the saint!

Spain: For sake of swine flu, don't kiss the saint

MADRID – Spain's Catholic Church has new advice for pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela: Don't kiss the saint.

For centuries, pilgrims have visited one of Roman Catholicism's holiest shrines — the cathedral holding the purported remains of St. James the Apostle, Spain's patron saint. It was customary for them to hug a statue of St. James and even kiss it.

Now, thanks to fast-spreading swine flu, the church is urging the faithful not to pucker up. It has even removed the holy water that worshippers use to bless themselves in the cathedral in the cobblestone old quarter of Santiago de Compostela, in Spain's northwestern Galicia region.

I have a better idea. Don't kiss idols for the sake of your spiritual health, not out of concern for the swine flu. Plus it is just kind of creepy.

(It was strangely appropriate to see socialist thug and President Obama's new BFF Hugo Chavez kissing this idol)


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