| Our Lady of the Underpass | |
|---|---|
 Post-defacement, post-restoration photo of the stain, 2005 | |
| Location | Fullerton Avenue under the Kennedy Expressway, Chicago |
| Date | 2005 |
| Type | Efflorescence |
Our Lady of the Underpass [1] was a salt stain and purported appearance of the Virgin Mary [2] [3] under the Kennedy Expressway along Fullerton Avenue in Chicago [4] [5] that was noticed in 2005. The site became a pilgrimage site for local Catholics [6] as well as a general curiosity. Later, it became a target for various acts of vandalism. [7] [8]
The Illinois Department of Transportation determined that the stain was likely formed by salt run-off. [8] Skeptic Joe Nickell, writing for the science news website Live Science, described it as "merely another simulacrum --a "Rorschach Icon" in which a random pattern is "recognized" by the mind's tendency, known as pareidolia , to interpret vague images as specific ones." [2] Cardinal Francis George, the Archbishop of Chicago, described it as "a purely natural phenomenon" but also said, "God has many ways to stir up devotion in people's hearts. [...] If it's helpful in reminding people of the Virgin Mary's care for us and love for us, that's wonderful." [9]
A play about the event, titled Our Lady of the Underpass , written by Tanya Saracho was commissioned by the Goodman Theatre, where it received a reading in 2006. [10] [11] [12] It was nominated for a Jeff Award in 2009. [13] [14]
