Griddle bears image of Mary
NICOLAS TABOREK
April 30, 2009
ivpressonline.com
An image said to be that of Our Lady of Guadalupe has appeared on a griddle at Las Palmas restaurant. 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.
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I very much doubt that we'll see a better news photo for the whole of May!