The Terror of Holy Water

international | rights, freedoms and repression | other press Thursday August 30, 2007 13:07 by +

Many Irish people will have missed the pomp & ceremony, smells and bells which launched Europe's latest lowcost airline on ¨Monday. Despite its obvious competition with two of our most cherished little earners & institutions. The Holy See is offering cheap flights from Rome to Lourdes which I need not tell you will surely undermine both Ryanair and Knock. The Vatican is promoting the service as an opportunity for the faithful to maintain a proper atmosphere conducive to such religious devotion and prevent their journey falling into some Chaucer like tale. Needless to say unlike Ryanair they won't be charging wheelchair users any extra money either. But already it has run into TERROR problems.

read on & learn -

They estimate 150,000 people will use the service in its first year and though the tickets are lowcost the budget for setting the whole thing up stands at five million euros. Part of that was spent on painting the plane yellow and white (the papal colours) and providing headrests with an inspiring "I search for your face oh Lord" slogan. Ah yes- I hear the average reader moan, what has this to do with our globalised socialist concerns iosaf? Simple laides and gentlemen - for only two days after launching the service passengers have been hauled off for carrying Holy Water. You know the rules. No Liquids means NO LIQUIDS. and yes sirree in the time of Bush's war on terror - we'll have no easy pilgrimages either.

Read an english language report from the uttterly protestant Daily Telegraph which scoffs at one passenger who rather than surrender his Holy Water decided to drink it instead.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/20...9.xml
Indeed, that could be the way round this whole liquid thing couldn't it? I doubt anyone would remain standing at check-in if they downed a mouthful of liquid explosive compound.

and the reports in Italian.
http://www.iltempo.it/approfondimenti/index.aspx?id=1268682

I hope Knock airport (or whatever it's called) keeps to the guidelines. But if you think communicants of the church of Rome's Marian traditions have it bad, spare a thought for the muslim pilgrims of Iraq who aren't even allowed wheelbarrows, carts or wheelchairs.