In an AP article at the NYT about "El Santuario de Chimayo, one of the most popular Catholic shrines in the Americas", I found this:
Some pilgrims will make the 90-mile, three-day walk from Albuquerque to the shrine that houses "el pocito," a small pit of holy adobe-colored soil that some believe possesses curing powers.
Indeed.
I don't understand what's wrong with people's brains that allows them
to believe in this sort of nonsense. A pit of soil?
Just two weeks after Pope Francis was elected, around 50,000 are expected to visit the popular northern New Mexico Catholic shrine, and officials say even more may come because of Argentine-born pontiff.
Because there's such an obvious connection between the new pope and this pit of holy soil. Everyone can see it. Sigh.
