Just don't canonize Innocent VIII, Leo IX, or Pius XII, okay?*
What's not as well-known is that some pious or otherwise folk get their sainthood chops from local cults. If, for some reasons, a group of people deem someone worthy of sainthood status, there you go: someone getting promoted from below.
Now, most often, the Church is okay with this practice, within limits. Thus we have a St. Philomena and a St. Expedité; probably nonexistent persons misidentified as saints. Oh well, it makes a few people happy to pray to them for intercession.
Well, suppose a group of people who were young in the 1960's experienced some good fortunes in their times. Someone laid some good stock market tips on Jennifer, Wally hit it big in the futures market, Tim was elected governor of some dismal Midwestern state, and some states legalized weed. It so happens that each were thinking about, and asking for the intercession of, Jim Morrison for these lucky turns of events. They talked about Jim Morrison having answered their prayers, and thus a cultus emerged with time.
It snowballed. Jim Morrison's grave in Paris became a site for a pilgrimage; and believers came in droves. Some seeming miracles were ascribed to St. Jim such as a bountiful crop of marijuana growing in California, and the sainthood express snowballed! Religious kitsch providers in the St. Germain des Prés parish in Paris trotted out some graven images of Saint Jim Morrison, such as the one below.
Even Father Devereaux, in distant St. Cletus Parish, got on the bandwagon. He thought that his parishioners would like the new status of St. Jim looking suspiciously like the Infant of Prague more than the gory ones already present. Most people, after all, were grossed out by St. Agatha carrying her boobs on a platter!
*Catholics are allowed to have their own opinions about popes or bishops; they will, anyway.
The Lizard King as Saint |
A saint with her books on a platter!
ReplyDeleteYou crack me up, Angel!
: D
Saints provide a significant boost to the economy in some locations, as you pointed out with your mention of the "religious kitsch providers." Somebody has to produce all those grisly icons of flaming, bleeding hearts and such.
ReplyDeleteI've been to Jimmy Hendrix grave in Seattle on his birthday. Was that a pilgrimage?
ReplyDeleteJohn Hill -- just google image her.
ReplyDeleteBilbo -- there was even a trade in relics centuries ago. Most were fake. Few saints had more than one foreskin.
Mike -- Definitely you made a pilgrimage. How about leaving a joint or some wine next time?
Yes!
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>
haha. i could see it.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea where you come up with these ideas, girl. Too funny.
ReplyDeleteJim Morrison and The Doors were an outstanding 1960's group.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I visited his grave in Paris years ago.
St. Agatha had nice tatas.
ReplyDeleteLike the Infant of Prague!
ReplyDelete