There’s only so much that praying can do in terms of bettering the lives of people, but priests from a Colombian city believe holy water will do whatever praying can’t.
A new, brutal waves of crimes has prompted the bishop of the Colombian port city of Buenaventura to announce a partnership with National Army, in which one of their helicopters will be used to drop holy water on the people of the city.
This will take place on July 13 or 14, when the people of Buenaventura celebrate the annual patron saints festivities. In other words, they will all be out in the streets, where they will be doused or sprayed with holy water from above, whether they like it or not.
The initiative comes from the Bishop of the Diocese of Buenaventura, Monsignor Rubén Darío Jaramillo Montoya, and has the full OK of the Conferencia Episcopal de Colombia. Local mass media dubs the planned event as a “mass exorcism,” as Caracol can confirm.
“We have to drive out the devil out of Buenaventura, to see if we can restore the peace and tranquility that our city has lost due to so many crimes, acts of corruption and with so much evil and drug trafficking that invades our port,” the Bishop said in a statement.
“We want to go around Buenaventura from the air and sprinkle holy water and see if we can exorcise, drive out these demons that are destroying the port, so that the blessing of God comes and removes all this evil that invades our streets,” he added.
However, CEC denies that this will be an actual “exorcism.” They say they have the full support of the National Army and will use it to sprinkle holy water on the city, in a bid to make people aware of the evil inside and to ask for protection from God. It will be more of a way to bless the city, than perform an exorcism.
The announcement comes days after a 10-year-old girl was tortured, murdered and hung on a wall for the world to see. In the first 5 months of 2019, 51 people were killed in Buenaventura, 20 more than in the previous year.
This will take place on July 13 or 14, when the people of Buenaventura celebrate the annual patron saints festivities. In other words, they will all be out in the streets, where they will be doused or sprayed with holy water from above, whether they like it or not.
The initiative comes from the Bishop of the Diocese of Buenaventura, Monsignor Rubén Darío Jaramillo Montoya, and has the full OK of the Conferencia Episcopal de Colombia. Local mass media dubs the planned event as a “mass exorcism,” as Caracol can confirm.
“We have to drive out the devil out of Buenaventura, to see if we can restore the peace and tranquility that our city has lost due to so many crimes, acts of corruption and with so much evil and drug trafficking that invades our port,” the Bishop said in a statement.
“We want to go around Buenaventura from the air and sprinkle holy water and see if we can exorcise, drive out these demons that are destroying the port, so that the blessing of God comes and removes all this evil that invades our streets,” he added.
However, CEC denies that this will be an actual “exorcism.” They say they have the full support of the National Army and will use it to sprinkle holy water on the city, in a bid to make people aware of the evil inside and to ask for protection from God. It will be more of a way to bless the city, than perform an exorcism.
The announcement comes days after a 10-year-old girl was tortured, murdered and hung on a wall for the world to see. In the first 5 months of 2019, 51 people were killed in Buenaventura, 20 more than in the previous year.
#ATENCIÓN| Ante los crueles hechos de #violencia que han enlutado en los últimos meses a la ciudad de #Buenaventura, su Obispo, Monseñor Rubén Darío Jaramillo Montoya, impartirá la bendición sobre la ciudad.
— Episcopado Colombia (@episcopadocol) June 13, 2019
¡ https://t.co/Do7jA6Nc2T pic.twitter.com/qmFdFaZcMN