117 Russians in Hospital After Drinking Holy Water

AP ^

[marshmallow]

MOSCOW – More than 100 Russian Orthodox believers have been hospitalized after drinking holy water during Epiphany celebrations in the eastern city of Irkutsk, an official said Monday.

A total of 117 people, including 48 children, were in the hospital complaining of acute intestinal pain after drinking water from wells in and around a local church last week, said Vladimir Salovarov, a spokesman for the Irkutsk Investigative Committee.

Salovarov said 204 people required some medical treatment after consuming the water, the source of which was a stagnant lake. He said, however, that it was too early to say what caused the illness.

Many Russians consider any water obtained on Epiphany — which they celebrate on Jan. 19 — to be holy.

Christian Orthodox believers fill up bottles with water from an icy pond to mark the upcoming Epiphany in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010. Water that is blessed by a cleric on Epiphany is considered holy and pure until next year's celebration, and is believed to have special powers of protection and healing

Ukrainians take a dip in an icy pond to mark the upcoming Epiphany in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010. Braving temperatures of -10 degrees Celsius (14 Fahrenheit), thousands queued overnight and into dawn Tuesday in Kiev to dunk themselves into a hole in the ice and rise again in a ritual symbolizing rebirth, to mark the Orthodox Epiphany.

[Thrownatbirth]

Must be an Eastern Orthodox thing. In my Catholic upbringing, holy water was never meant to be drunk.

[JimVT]

Especially after sitting in a font for a couple of days.

[Between the Lines]

This is why in the US all Holy water meant for drinking must carry a warning lable.

Warning: If you are a sinner or evil in nature, this product may cause burning, intense heat, sweating, skin irritations, rashes, itchiness, vomiting bloodshot and watery eyes, pale skin color, and oral irritations.

[Gamecock]

Is this the EO equivalent of staring at the sun and going blind all because they were hoping to catch a glimpse of Mary?

[savedbygrace]

Awright, who pooped in the pool?

[Thrownatbirth]

...and a couple thousand dirty fingers. As a altar boy, I had to change the holy water fonts, but only after they became visibly cloudy. I’d rather change stagnant fish tank water.

[marshmallow]

I didn't think there was anything in this story which could be used to dump on Catholicism but you've proven me wrong with that wonderful two-fer!

A rare talent, indeed.

Glad I made your day.

[FreeAtlanta]

vampires?

[dfwgator]

[Gamecock]

It’s really not that hard. With the right material....

[marshmallow]

......and lots of practice................... :-)

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Water is never holy. Shoulda been the first clue...

[gitmogrunt]

"Must be an Eastern Orthodox thing.

It may be a Russian thing.

[marshmallow]

With respect to water, “holiness” is not synonymous with “biologically inactive”.

[fr_freak]

With respect to water, “holiness” is not synonymous with “biologically inactive”.

They forgot to follow the instructions for making holy water: first, you have to boil the hell out of it.

[Tax-chick]

Oh, dear. I hope it’s not anything disastrous that’s hard to cure.

I suppose a few drops of chlorine per gallon isn’t traditional ...

[Quix]

God have mercy.

[Erasmus]

My Pastor once explained how to make holy water:

“Boil the Hell out of it.”