Barry Duke, the Angry Atheist

Pointing and laughing at religious lunacy for more than half-a-century

Thousands of bikers converge on a Portuguese shrine to have their helmets blessed

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THE Sanctuary of Fatima, located at a spot where the so-called “virgin” Mary is said to have once materialised, drew an estimated 180,000 motorcyclists who came to seek divine protection by having their helmets sprinkled with holy water.

This silliness was apparently prompted by the fact that there is a high rate of accidents involving motorbikes in Portugal. More than 9,900 motorcyclists were involved in prangs in 2024, according to Portugal’s national road safety authority. Most were minor incidents, but there also were 120 death

This ridiculous carry-on at the weekend was the tenth such gathering, and and was intended to bestow bikers with a sense of protection as they ride across Portugal’s open roads.

Said Father Carlos Cabecinhas, rector at the Fatima sanctuary:

Many of these motorcyclists come to ask for God’s protection through Our Lady for their trips, but they also come to remember those who have already left, who have already died, many of them in accidents and those who are hurt, those who need help.

49-year-old Manuel Santos added:

We make this pilgrimage every year because we have faith that she is always watching over us.

Click here to buy my memoir Well, Goodness, Godless Me.

Where was Fatima when, about 25 years ago, I was involved in what has to be the world’s funniest motorbike accidents?

A motorist in London came out of side street and crashed into me while I was carrying a Chinese takeaway meal inside my leather jacket. When he rushed over to me as I lay in the road with one arm pinned down by the fallen bike I screamed, “Just unzip my fucking jacket!” because the hot food was burning my chest.

When he did so the container of noodles spilled out onto the road, and the driver, thinking they were my innards, blacked out and fell face-first onto the tarmac! While I was able to ride away unscathed, he was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital with facial lacerations.

The police arrived seconds later and, when I explained the situation, they couldn’t stop laughing.

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5 responses to “Thousands of bikers converge on a Portuguese shrine to have their helmets blessed”

  1. Broga Avatar
    Broga

    “We make this pilgrimage every year because we have faith that she is always watching over us.”

    But not with much success as more than 9,000 motor cyclists were injured, some fatally, in a single year. God continues to work in a mysterious way.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. Broga Avatar
    Broga

    My wife says perhaps those are the ones who have not had their helmets sprinkled with holy water. Yep! That must be the answer.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  3. stephenharvie Avatar
    stephenharvie

    Bob Hutton is living proof of what happens when you don’t wear a safety helmet.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. malcolmjdodd Avatar
      malcolmjdodd

      Steady, Stephen, we don’t want to upset Bob, he provides as much humour as the Orange Horror; albeit that Bob is not quite as dangerous as Big Daddy.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Broga Avatar
        Broga

        And Bid Daddy is especially dangerous as he does not live in the real world. And even if he did he still wouldn’t give a toss about anyone but himself.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

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