Via BoingBoing, the Vatican Air.
No holy water in hand-carry baggage on the plane! Well there should be a 100ml bottle of holy water on every seat. Check out this picture, taken in summer 2006 inside the Sanctuary. Note the two gentlemen filling up their tanks. Now they would have to check those heavy tanks in.
I visited Lourdes in summer 2006 on my Euro study trip (based on History of Medieval Western Europe) to see modern pilgrimage. The town was depressingly commercialized, but it is totally different inside the Sanctuary
The crowd near the middle of the photo is getting holy water on tap, and the bigger crowd on the far right is queuing up to go into the Grotto for a dip in the bath of holy water. Pilgrims believe that the holy water has healing power. The Sanctuary and the town is packed with visitors in the summer. Not only old and sick people and their friends and family, but also volunteers offering assistance.
Every year thousands of volunteers spend their summer in Lourdes taking care of old and sick people or helping out with other things. Apparently if you are immobile or have difficulty moving about, in Lourdes there is this telephone number you could call for someone to come cart you to and about the Sanctuary.
I got the Lady two 100ml bottles of holy water. This is actually a very popular gift among Roman Catholics. The Lady gave a bottle to a friend in need which I believe bought a lot of comfort to this friend.
As for pilgrims filling their tanks with holy water, which seems excessive, I was told that some of the folks who come here are from poor countries where not everyone could afford to travel, so these folks take the holy water back to their own churches for sharing among their friends and church members.
Our study trip ended in Santiago de Compostela, where the Vatican Air plans to expand its service. I don’t know how it would work, because to obtain the compostela, a pilgrim has to walk at least 100km or bike 200km. I don’t believe that flying there, even on the Vatican Air, would be counted as a act of indulgence.
