Thursday, August 21, 2014

How About a 1960's Saint?

So recently the Vatican came up with a twofer with regard to new saints who were also Popes, an amazing category in its own right: Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.  So, stick that rank in front of these worthies.

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

10 comments:

John A Hill said...

A saint with her books on a platter!
You crack me up, Angel!
: D

Bilbo said...

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.

Mike said...

I've been to Jimmy Hendrix grave in Seattle on his birthday. Was that a pilgrimage?

eViL pOp TaRt said...

John Hill -- just google image her.

Bilbo -- 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?

Cloudia said...

Yes!




ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>

TexWisGirl said...

haha. i could see it.

Linda Kay said...

I have no idea where you come up with these ideas, girl. Too funny.

Duckbutt said...

Jim Morrison and The Doors were an outstanding 1960's group.

My wife and I visited his grave in Paris years ago.

Hell Hound said...

St. Agatha had nice tatas.

Big Sky Heidi said...

Like the Infant of Prague!