Jesus Christ on a tortilla! The faithful are flocking to a salt stain on a Chicago underpass that they say is a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary. Wow, I’m convinced. “This will help someone have faith” says one creduloid. Listen lady, if you believe this image is a miracle you don’t need help with your faith, you need help. I guess these people don’t know how to say pareidolia. (Actually, I don’t know how to say pareidolia. No one does.)
I’m not sure about this image though. I originally thought it looked more like a giant upright lizard. Perhaps it’s a message from David Icke.
But when I looked at the stain from a different angle, the real image was revealed. It’s Keith Richards:
Left: Keith Richards
Right: The Virgin Mary
61 years old and he’s touring with the Rolling Stones. Hey, he’s still alive – if that isn’t a miracle I don’t know what is. Hallelujah, we’re saved.
They say it looks even more like the Virgin if you view it throgh a digital camera. The distortion adds to the illusion.
Posted by: Saint Nate | April 20, 2005 at 07:18 PM
My sister lives in Chicago and has said that she's going to go and take some pictures of it. We'll see.
Posted by: Orac | April 21, 2005 at 08:56 AM
I believe it's PAIR-EYE-DOLE-EE-UH. That's how I say it, at least.
I wrote up my own adventure in pareidolia here: http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/lenin.html
And I gotta say, I love this blog! Fun fun fun.
Posted by: The Bad Astronomer | April 21, 2005 at 11:22 AM
I don't know. I look at those, and I see something completely different. Maybe I should just get my mind out of the gutter.
Posted by: Paul | April 21, 2005 at 07:35 PM
I see it too, Paul! Reminds me of an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond" where Ray's mother takes a class in sculpture and her final work is reminiscent of a certain piece of the human anatomy of one particular gender...
I won't explain.
Posted by: Josh | April 26, 2005 at 11:12 AM
I agree that the image is just a salt stain. But I also think it has a very remarkable resemblance with the Guadalupe Virgin in Mexico City (Virgin Mary painting purported to be a miraculous image too). This likeness is what probably prompts believers to see more in the image. If you are familiar with the Guadalupe image you can't fail notice it immediately.
Also, if you remove what is supposed to be the head, it resembles external female genitalia a la O'Keefe. (as others have mentioned)
Posted by: Dream | July 11, 2005 at 11:03 PM
The Phillipine Marian Press release of a miracle rock image photos of the Virgin Mary recently posted on blog titled: "helpingafriend" or "Miracle Millennium of Mary" is truely awe inspiring. This one supersedes all other miracles I have seen, and further cushions my faith and belief in real miracles.
Posted by: | June 11, 2006 at 06:54 AM
The recent miracle rock dubbed "Our Lady of the Third Millennium" with pictures and the story of the inheriter is amplifyingly fascinating. A picture is worth a thousand words and I felt peace just by looking at the pictures. See both sections at http://helpingafriend.blogspot.com and http://miraclemillenniumofmary.blogspot.com
Posted by: johnny rufus | June 25, 2006 at 06:40 PM