St. Christopher, patron saint of surfers

I am in St. Christopher's waters.
I'm vacationing in Laguna Beach, a paradise of salty air and a ridiculously accessible view of the Pacific Ocean. From my balcony, I can watch skilled surfers navigate huge waves. On a recent shopping trip, I saw an array of Saint Christopher medals for sale on thin chains. When I asked the salesperson why St. Christopher, she didn't know.
A frustrating Internet search ensued. I found out that he is supposedly the patron saint of lots of things--mariners, travelers and surfers-- but I found nothing that explained why. I always knew that St. Christopher was the patron saint of travel (I had two former boyfriends with medallions pinned to the sun visors in their cars), but the surfer/mariner thing was new to me. I'm a tourist here-- anyone know where the St. Christopher thing comes from? Do surfers wear the medallions when surfing? What's St. Christopher's role, and is it a big one for those who pray to him? In the meantime, I think I'll just keep watching the ocean...

www.surferscreed.com

Sizzlin' hot image of the Virgin Mary appears on a griddle

After a cook in Calexico discovered what he thought was a sacred image of the Virgin Mary on a restaurant griddle, people drove in from as far as San Diego (about 125 miles) just to get a glimpse. Visitors included these two lucha libre wrestlers, who said her image was "a true miracle" according to the Imperial Valley Press. (The photographer who took this picture must love me and want me to be happy--this is probably my favorite picture EVER.)
I am a serious dork for supposed "sacred sightings." There's nothing like the mix of fervent excitement, guaranteed national media attention and campy reverence for things like a 15-year-old piece of toast. I personally don't believe that a face on a griddle is a sacred message from God, but hey-- if it is, he's certainly got a sense of humor. There's nothing funnier than seeing people getting worked up over a Cheeto.
Check out this slideshow of "sightings" found on silly objects like melons, paperweights and X-rays.

Pimp My Swine Flu Mask

Fun Mexican pop culture site Guanabee posted this excellent photo essay of some of the most creative ways people are weathering the Swine Flu scare. Even St. Jude's safe from germs!

Lights, camera, churches

Image via NAB Show

Tailored to houses of worship, the audio/visual technology industry has its own niche that focuses on sound systems, projectors and lighting for religious services.
During last weekend's trip to Vegas, I crashed the NAB Show, a National Association of Broadcasters convention for digital media professionals. With the help of a map of the vast convention hall and Matt's spy skills (he was actually registered) I chatted with professionals about technology's role in the "worship experience."
As churches grow, congregations are adding energy to church services with sound systems and video projections, said Michelle Makariak of Technologies for Worship Magazine. TFWM follows the AV industry for upgrades that will work best in churches.
It's not just megachurches who are eyeing projection systems and flashy lighting, she said. Even smaller churches are upgrading so worship bands sound better and pastors can record sermons to post online. At the conference, businesses offered projection systems for worship lyrics, acoustics installation, portable stages and lighting concepts.
Churches are also looking for ways to communicate outside the walls of the church. They're talking about establishing successful blogs and using "virtual churches" to reach congregants around the world.
Streaming Church is a Web portal that allows churches to post videos of services, provides chat rooms for congregants attending from home and keeps track of visitors around the country. President Steve Lacy said Streaming Church is designed to ease people into new churches and keep them connected outside Sunday services.
"Those who are intimidated might be more willing to check it out online before going through the doors not knowing what to expect," he said.
Online, people can watch services, chat, follow the pastors on sites like Twitter and even donate money with the click of a button. If they like what they see, hopefully they will attend the church regularly in person, he said.
"We don't want them spending most of their time online, unless they can't physically be there," he said.
Some of Streaming Church's U.S. clients have used the platform to reach African communities, who set up outdoor churches and follow the streaming services with the help of a projector and computer monitor.
“It’s still about getting people together,” he said.

Our Lady of Guadalupe... Vegas style

Here's a funny souvenir kiosk we saw on Fremont Street in Las Vegas. The framed art was actually flashing and changing colors-- apparently, even Mary and Jesus get the Vegas treatment there.

Sunday in Sin City

Hi friends! I just got back from Las Vegas, where I spent a fun weekend with friends and even won some money! ($2.34, to be exact.)
After two days of Vegas-y action, Matt and I decided to venture off the strip for a different experience. Along the way, we stopped at this church on the strip whose services were just getting out.
On an impulse, we walked in. As soon as I smelled that church smell, I realized it had been a long time since I'd gone to church at all. After all that time, church smell is kind of comforting: a mix of air conditioner, old lady perfume and clean carpet.
I went into the alcove to light a candle for my grandmother who passed away when I was in high school--something I seem to do only when traveling. During my trip to Prague, I lit a candle for her at the epically gorgeous St Nicholas Church, where the ceilings dripped with gold. This time around, the church was much more plain but had its own sense of flair: in true Vegas fashion, traditional prayer candles were replaced with electric flames you switch on with a toggle! The alcove looked like its own Las Vegas casino sign with the rows of lit up electric candles.
The experience was a little ironic given Vegas's reputation as Sin City, but in a city of 558,880 people, there have to be a few who don't hold church down at the bar.

A lazy Saturday with the Virgin Mary

I had an uncommon and serendipitous experience at my neighborhood bar a few weekends ago: I talked religion and pop culture with a stranger as we sipped beers and tried to ignore bad 90's rap blasting from the speakers.
The topic of conversation? The powerful image of the Virgin Mary. Oft-featured in ironic, reverent, fucked-up and inspired ways, the Virgin Mary is instantly visually recognizable. My new drinking companion put it best when he said that no matter what an artist does to her--tie her up, cut her or place roses at her feet -- her presence makes the image a powerful statement that goes beyond merely "religious."
I've been seeing some beautiful, unusual Virgin Mary art on Etsy, the online marketplace of handmade goodies designed by talented folks who often work out of their bedrooms and home offices.
I'm particularly in love with this image from Illustrated Ink, a bevy of tattoo goodness with a focus on Dia De Los Muertos designs.
Some of my other favorite shops to find Virgin Mary jewelry and iconography include Sweetheart Sinner (whose bold pendants also feature Edgar Allen Poe and David Bowie) and Jammerdesignz, who paint designs on each image with teeny-tiny brushes.