| According to the International Marian Research | | | | interacted with the scale. I didn't have to wait long |
| Institute, eighty percent of all Catholic shrines are | | | | before three teen girls approached the scale and one |
| dedicated to the Virgin Mary and are among the | | | | by one stepped up, blessing themselves first, and |
| most desired pilgrimage destinations in the world. In | | | | received their weigh in and inspirational message for |
| fact, Marian shrines receive more annual pilgrims than | | | | the day. |
| any other religious figure. Although a dominant figure | | | | The most delightful chanced upon pop artwork of |
| in Catholicism, Mary's appeal transcends theological | | | | Mary that I have ever encountered occurred on a |
| differences, as Mary's devoted pilgrims hail from all | | | | hot summer day as I was driving on Peachtree |
| Christian denominations and the many branches of | | | | Street. Sitting at a red light, I noticed a large pick-up |
| Islam. Yes, I said Islam! Mary, who plays an important | | | | truck pull up on my right. Not one to be impressed |
| but not extensive role in the New Testament, has a | | | | with cars (I drive a 23 year old Volvo) I was drawn |
| much more prominent position in the sacred text of | | | | to the beauty of the pearl white truck which glowed |
| Islam. Mary is mentioned no fewer than thirty-four | | | | in the sun-highly polished and chromed out. After |
| times in the Quran, and she is the only woman to | | | | proceeding through the light the truck pulled in front |
| have her own chapter or sura. This article, however, | | | | of me and thus revealed the amazing mural |
| is not about Mary in Islam; that subject I will save for | | | | airbrushed on the tail-gate. Picture this: center-right of |
| a future posting. Today, I intend to explore the Mary | | | | the tail-gate was an image of Mary, again in the form |
| of the people-Mary as she appears in lived religion. | | | | of the Virgin of Guadalupe, floating a few feet off |
| Most specifically how Mary's image is utilized by her | | | | the ground and surrounded by an indigo sky. In front |
| followers in artistic, new, and unique ways. | | | | of her was a man kneeling in supplication, hands |
| More popular than ever before, Mary has become | | | | together in prayer beseeching Mary for a boon. Now |
| Christianity's most versatile, utilized, and venerated | | | | comes the best and most creative part-above this |
| figure. Most intriguingly, Mary's image has become | | | | kneeling man's head was a bubble like the ones used |
| main-stream and is found in the most unusual of | | | | in comic books. In the bubble was an image of the |
| places. Images of Mary are often depicted on | | | | exact truck that the "real" man was driving. I was |
| t-shirts, purses, murals, wallets, yard art, jewelry, | | | | blown away at the artistry of the images and the |
| graffiti, and on the bodies of her devoted followers. | | | | message they conveyed. Unfortunately, I did not |
| Mary tattoos are popular among Catholics of South | | | | have my camera and my cell was lost in the black |
| America, Mexico, and the United States. Tattoo | | | | hole I call a purse. Sadly, I have been looking for the |
| images of Mary range from small devotionals to | | | | truck ever since. Although I don't possess a physical |
| enormous masterpieces- covering an entire human | | | | photo of the vehicle, I can still conjure up the image |
| back. To illustrate Mary's versatility, I will acquaint you | | | | in my mind's eye and delight in the iconic |
| with two recent encounters I had in my hometown | | | | representation which was so devotedly created in |
| of Atlanta-one of the most religiously diverse cities in | | | | honor and veneration of this versatile Saint. |
| the south. | | | | For those devoted to her, Mary is a compelling figure |
| During a recent shopping trip to my local farmers | | | | who provides solace, reassurance and hope. Mary is |
| market I encountered what, for many, may seem | | | | also an elusive figure impossible to simply define, for |
| strange but which demonstrates perfectly how | | | | she has played many roles in the lives of those who |
| effortlessly Mary's image shifts from sacred space | | | | have bowed their heads in request or supplication. |
| and into the mundane world to commune with those | | | | Leonard Boff, In The Maternal Face of God: The |
| who venerate her. While paying for my groceries, I | | | | Feminine and Its Religious Expressions, argues that |
| noticed an image of Mary, as the Virgin of Guadalupe, | | | | Mary's persona changes to meet the needs of her |
| gracing a common scale which stood about 4 feet in | | | | devotees. He writes, "Each new generation finds |
| height. Leaving my husband at the register, I | | | | itself in Mary, projecting its dreams, its sociocultural |
| wandered over to investigate and to take some | | | | ideals, upon her. In her, each new generation |
| pictures. Above and below Mary's image were the | | | | discovers the revelatory path of the feminine |
| words "Get Your Daily Inspirational Message" in | | | | archetype that crowd our unconscious." (251) Mary is |
| English and Spanish. For a fee of 25 cents, customers | | | | the most human of historical and scriptural figures; |
| could weigh themselves and be rewarded with an | | | | welcoming the masses and participating in the daily |
| inspiring message from the Virgin Mother. No | | | | lives of her followers who embrace her as one who |
| judgmental weigh-in here! As I delightedly snapped | | | | has experienced and transcended human fragility. It |
| pictures, I caught the attention of the store security | | | | maybe that those who venerate Mary do so |
| who warned that pictures were forbidden in the | | | | because they feel she somehow "lives" in the world |
| store by order of management. I quickly explained | | | | with or around them and is not a distant figure, too |
| my interest to the perplexed security guard who | | | | aloof to take part in their everyday world. |
| was concerned that I was stealing secrets for the | | | | This leads me to the question for the day: Although |
| competition until I showed him that I only had | | | | these images are not indicative of the "standard" |
| pictures of the Mary scale on my camera. Although | | | | understanding of religious art, they obviously play a |
| he was obviously confused, he finally acquiesced | | | | crucial role for modern day Marian devotees. Why |
| agreeing that "the Virgin is good" and walked away | | | | does Mary's image lend itself to such displays of art |
| muttering to another employee that I was loco. Being | | | | and do these examples represent a new wave of |
| the nerd that I am, I sat nearby with my patient | | | | early 21st century religious art? |
| husband and observed how a few customers | | | | |