Holy pancakes! Virgin Mary seen on griddle

[liberal N proud]

CALEXICO, Calif. - The hottest thing on the griddle at the Las Palmas restaurant these days isn't the food — it's the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that a cook says she saw on the griddle.

Restaurant manager Brenda Martinez says more than 100 people have flocked to the small town of Calexico on the California-Mexico border to gaze at the likeness of the Virgin Mary since it was discovered as the griddle was being cleaned.

Among the awe-struck was a group of masked Mexican wrestlers who arrived Thursday for an exhibition at a nearby swap meet.

<snip>the griddle has been taken out of service and placed in a shrine in a storage room.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30508304/?GT1-39001

[konnichi wa]

1. Looks more like a scrotum to me.

P.T. Barnum sure knew what he was talking about.

[Bozita]

2. "placed in a shrine in a storage room" -- WTF?

[tanyev]

3. A little steel wool and elbow grease could get rid of her in no time.

[lunatica]

6. She'd just reappear in another place you know...

But you must have the faithful eyes to see her wherever she shows herself.

[BuyingThyme]

4. Would one of you religios mind explaining the Biblical significance of the masked wrestlers?

Thanks in advance.

:hi:

[lunatica]

7. There is no religious significance

Ever since El Santo in the 1950s these masks are like the masks that superheroes wear to be anonymous larger than life symbols of good versus evil. It's a cultural thing in a country that has very few populist heroes. You probably wouldn't understand the significance of the meaning of what constitutes a hero in poor countries.

[MADem]

9. You probably wouldn't understand the significance of the meaning of what constitutes a hero in poor

countries.

To put it kindly, that was rather unkind. Why would you think BT "wouldn't understand?"

[lunatica]

13. I didn't mean it that way, so I apologize

I took my cue from the poster who says he didn't get it. My point is that the culture differences are really quite profound when trying to explain the US culture in comparison to third world cultures.

[MADem]

18. I've never seen a post by BT that was unkind or snarky. I think the question was sincere,

which is why I piped up. I'm sure you didn't mean any offense, either. I've lived in 3W cultures, it could certainly be a shock to the more fortunate amongst us who have not ever experienced the brutal mechanics of simple survival or the attendant insecurity and fear that pervades on a daily basis.

[BuyingThyme]

11. Yeah, common American folk wouldn't understand the significance of anonymous masked heroes

like the Lone Ranger, Batman, and Wonder Woman. It's so foreign to us. Please tell.

[lunatica]

16. Of course we understand comic book heroes. These wrestlers are real people though

And that makes all the difference. And no one in this country thinks of wrestlers as being sincere heroes in the same way. In Mexico, masked wrestlers are taken very seriously and are far more than fantasy entertainment. They have a symbolic meaning that is quite different than batman because they are actually living people who take on a role that is significant to the downtrodden.

I didn't mean to offend and I've already apologized. Can we agree that my subsequent clarifications show it was not meant as criticism?

[MADem]

20. This probably merits a subthread of explanation.

Here, I'll start. I found this explanation on Wikipedia. Who can add to it or correct misimpressions?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucha_libre

...In 1942, lucha libre would be forever changed when a silver-masked wrestler, known simply as El Santo (The Saint), first stepped into the ring. He made his debut in Mexico City by winning an 8-man battle royal. The public became enamored by the mystique and secrecy of Santo's personality and he quickly became the most popular luchador in Mexico. His wrestling career spanned nearly five decades, during which he became a folk hero and a symbol of justice for the common man through his appearances in comic books and movies, while the sport of Lucha Libre received an unparalleled degree of mainstream attention.<2>



Luchadores are traditionally more agile and perform more aerial maneuvers than professional wrestlers in the U.S. who, more often, rely on power moves and strikes to subdue their opponents. The difference in styles is due to the independent evolution of the sport in Mexico beginning in the 1930s and the fact that luchadores in the cruiserweight division (peso semicompleto) are often the most popular wrestlers in Mexican lucha libre.<6> Luchadores execute high flying moves characteristic of lucha libre by utilizing the wrestling ring's ropes to catapult themselves towards their opponents, using intricate combinations in rapid-fire succession, and applying complex submission holds. Lucha libre has several different weight classes, many catered to smaller agile fighters, who often make their debuts in their mid-teens. This system enables dynamic high-flying luchadores such as Rey Mysterio, Jr., Juventud Guerrera, Super Crazy and Místico, to develop years of experience by their mid-twenties.<7> A number of prominent Japanese wrestlers also started their careers training in Mexican lucha libre before becoming stars in Japan. These include Gran Hamada, Satoru Sayama, Jushin Liger, and Último Dragón. With so many weight classes, Mexico has the largest number of professional wrestlers in the world.

...Masks (mascaras) have been used dating back to the beginnings of lucha libre and have a historical significance to Mexico dating to the days of the Aztecs. Early masks were very simple with basic colors to distinguish the wrestler. In modern lucha libre, masks are colorfully designed to evoke the images of animals, gods, ancient heroes, and other archetypes, whose identity the luchador takes on during a performance. Virtually all wrestlers in Mexico will start their careers wearing masks, but over the span of their careers a large number of them will be unmasked. Sometimes, a wrestler slated for retirement will be unmasked in his final bout or at the beginning of a final tour, signifying loss of identity as that character. Sometimes, losing the mask signifies the end of a gimmick with the wrestler moving on to a new gimmick and mask. The mask is considered "sacred" to a degree, so much so that fully removing an opponent's mask during a match is grounds for disqualification.<9>

During their careers, masked luchadores will often be seen in public wearing their masks and keeping up the kayfabe of Lucha Libre while other masked wrestlers will interact with the public and press normally. However, they will still go to great lengths to conceal their true identities; in effect, the mask is synonymous with the luchador. El Santo continued wearing his mask after retirement, revealed his face briefly only in old age, and was buried wearing his silver mask.

More recently, the masks that luchadores wear have become iconic symbols of Mexican culture. Contemporary artists like Francisco Delgado and Xavier Garza incorporate wrestler masks in their paintings.<10>

Although masks are a feature of lucha libre, it is a misconception that every Mexican wrestler uses one. There have been several non-masked wrestlers who have been successful, particularly Tarzan Lopez, Gory Guerrero and Perro Aguayo. Formerly masked wrestlers who lost their masks, such as Satanico, Cien Caras and others, have had continued success despite the mask losses.

....

[lunatica]

21. Thank you MADem

As you can surmise, religion has nothing to do with it, but it's culturally significant to have the lucha libre icons there. It give a kind of legitimacy to the profound faith in the Virgin of Guadalupe that these heroes bring to it. It says a great deal about them to make this pilgrimage, even if it's a hoax, because the the Virgin is expected to appear anywhere and everywhere to the faithful. They aren't worshiping the griddle as so many white Americans believe. They're worshiping the miracle of her appearance on it.

[MADem]

19. Geez, I piped up for ya, and now you're makin' me look bad! nt

[BuyingThyme]

23. I don't really care. I just think the photo is funny.

But thanks.

:hi:

[lunatica]

24. So your question wasn't a sincere one?

[BuyingThyme]

29. Why, do you think there really is something in the Bible about masked wrestlers?

[lunatica]

30. I told you there is no connection to religion.

And by the way I'm not religious in any way or fashion so your attempt at a dig on my beliefs is also a zero. Just like your comprehension of cultural differences. Obviously if it isn't your culture it's something to be laughed at, right? And Americans wonder why they are loathed and considered arrogant by the rest of the world.

[BuyingThyme]

32. Yes, it's okay to laugh at masked wrestlers.

And I don't know where I took a dig at your beliefs about which I know nothing.

I think you and I are reading and writing in completely different languages.

[GreenTea]

25. Don't blame anyone else....it's there for all to see!

[Beam Me Up]

5. butt plug n/t

[pepperbear]

8. I really am having too much fun with the photo.

[SpiralHawk]

10. Major OMEN - the ad that precedes the video is for Charmin toilet paper

Holy Shit!

[dem629]

12. Susan Boyle (flash in the pan, forgotten now) image found on a pizza:

[BuyingThyme]

15. I'm not seeing it.

[MADem]

22. Susan Boyle hasn't yet competed in the semifinals. She's not done yet.

Nor are her competitors--and there are a couple--a young boy and a really good dance troupe, for starters.

[DainBramaged]

14. Mexican Wrestling

the only thing more fixed was the 2000 election.

[tomm2thumbs]

17. '...the griddle has been taken out of service and placed in a shrine in a storage room'

the old 'shrine in the storage room' treatment

[Renew Deal]

26. I'm all for "miracles", but this one is marginal at best.

[lame54]

27. That's not the virgin mary - that's this guy...

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. Well the shape is reminiscent of the Holy Mother of Guadalupe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe

That said, this is one of those coincidences that happen in life

And yes, I get it, why very religious people will place a religious significance to this... to me, if this insulting to some... this is just funny

But hey, she appears in food stuffs a lot these days, toast, griddles, the works.

But hey, we live in a millenarian age... so what else is new?

[cagesoulman]

31. And, in other news, the Pope decides to sanction Bisquick for communion hosts.

:evilgrin: