The Virgin Mary in handcuffs: How a viral image humanizes the immigration debate
“Suddaby wondered: What would happen if the Virgin, perhaps the most revered and powerful religious figure in all of Mexico, suddenly appeared at the U.S. border?
The minister, artist, and activist answered by working every day for a month to create a provocative sand painting: the sainted Virgin being taken into custody by two ICE agents, her hands not clasped in prayer, but pinned at the wrist by plastic handcuffs.
She called it Unholy Escort.
“Putting the Virgin Mother in that position, taking on the suffering of the refugees,” Suddaby said, “I wanted to say, if you look, you can see the spirit of God, the fingerprints of God, on people who have nothing and who need help.”
The second image came to mind when I saw the first. This image which I think reflects the MAGA and Evangelical mindset in support of a family-destroying president.
It’s called the “Murder of Hypatia” who was killed by Christian zealots on the orders of Alexandrian Bishop Cyril.
Curmudgeon at Work 