Griddle bears image of Mary

Imperial Valley Press ^ | Apr 30, 2009 | NICOLAS TABOREK

[Alex Murphy]

CALEXICO — For the past week the Las Palmas swap meet here has been able to boast more than just good deals on cheap clothing. It’s now also an official viewing site for a bona fide likeness of the Virgin Mary.

A chef at the Las Palmas restaurant, Hilda Maciel, discovered the image on a griddle she was cleaning last Wednesday. The next day, the Rev. Gerardo Fernandez of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Calexico confirmed the image was a true likeness of the Virgin, said Brenda Martinez, general manager at the restaurant.

Since then, the griddle with the image has been retired from service in the kitchen and put on display in a storage room. Martinez said her family is planning to renovate the room and will continue allowing people to view the griddle for free.

“It was shocking. We didn’t know what to think,” she said of the discovery.

Father Gerardo could not be reached for comment on the appearance of the Virgin’s image on the griddle Wednesday evening.

So far more than 100 people have dropped by to view the griddle, Martinez said, some traveling from San Diego for the privilege.

On Wednesday several Mexican wrestlers who were booked to appear at the swap meet as a special promotion crowded into the small room to admire the image.

For Maciel the discovery carried particular significance. Her brother died of a heart attack two days before the image appeared, she said. The day she discovered the likeness was her first day back at work.

“I believe that for me it’s to give me the strength to continue on,” she said.

[Alex Murphy]

A chef at the Las Palmas restaurant, Hilda Maciel, discovered the image on a griddle she was cleaning last Wednesday. The next day, the Rev. Gerardo Fernandez of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Calexico confirmed the image was a true likeness of the Virgin, said Brenda Martinez, general manager at the restaurant.

Since then, the griddle with the image has been retired from service in the kitchen and put on display in a storage room. Martinez said her family is planning to renovate the room and will continue allowing people to view the griddle for free.

FROM LEFT: Lucha Libre wrestlers Renegado and Mr. Tempest look at an image of the Virgin Mary said to have appeared on a griddle at Las Palmas restaurant in Calexico. “I follow Our Lady of Guadalupe," Mr. Tempest said after the viewing. “This is amazing. It’s a true miracle.”

[Alex Murphy]

FESTIVAL OF APPARITIONS:

Pretzel Madonna
Funyun Madonna
Chocolate Madonna
Madonna in a Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Madonna in a Grilled Cheese Sandwich, part 2
Madonna in a Beach Pebble
Madonna in a Steam Iron
Madonna in a Road Overpass Water Stain
Madonna in a Road Overpass Water Stain, part 2
Madonna and Jesus in Pancake

Cheetos Jesus
Jesus on a Consecrated Wafer, at a Hospital Chapel
Jesus on a Laundry Room Door
Jesus in a Hospital Window
Jesus in a Seat Cushion
Jesus in a tortilla (THO)

Make your own "Holy Toast"

[anniegetyourgun]

When will people stop searching for signs and wonders, and start searching the scriptures?

[sinanju]

Nah, just too abstract for yours truly.

[Salvation]

LOL!

Personally I like my links better.

[Jedidah]

Thanks.

With life so worrisome these days, we needed a little levity.

[Arthur McGowan]

What about the Mother Teresa cinnamon bun?

[Arthur McGowan]

Let’s see: You’ve got a story about the Virgin Mary appearing on a griddle. You send a photographer to the scene. And you print a picture taken from an angle that makes it utterly impossible to judge what the surface of the griddle looks like. Great journalism!

[mckenzie7]

Great tag line.

[raynearhood]

A better angle:

[Arthur McGowan]

Well! Now I’m convinced!

Actually, there’s a bit of irony here. The image on the tilma of Juan Diego is a miraculous image on an ordinary household object. When someone comes up with an image on a steam iron or toasted cheese sandwich that looks anything like the image on the tilma, I’ll take it seriously.

The tilma, btw, is made of rough hemp, and should have crumbled into dust after about ten years, but is completely sound after 500+ years.

Those who say they reject all such miracles out of hand have to simply ignore a lot of well-documented facts. Just as those who reject the Church have to ignore the lives of the saints.

[cyclotic]

I always figured if times got real tough, I’d take a hunk of sausage and draw a pircture of Mary on the wall of my shower, let it get moldy for a few days and charge people $10.00 each to come “worship” it.

[seemoAR]

Since photography didn’t exist until centuries after Mary died, and no one who is alive now has ever seen her, How do we know how she looked?

[Campion]

My TV set regularly shows an image of the Antichrist ... can I get any publicity “bounce” out of that?

[Petronski]

Just as those who reject the Church have to ignore the lives of the saints.

...or mock the lives of the saints.

[dfwgator]

How do we know how she looked?

I would assume it would have been with her eyes. * rimshot *

[maggief]

[N. Theknow]

That looks more like Princess Leia.

[Alex Murphy]

I would assume it would have been with her eyes. * rimshot *

Man #1: I have a dog that has no nose!
Man #2: A dog with no nose?!? How does it smell?
Man #1: Terrible!

[Rightly Biased]

When its too late...