And now for something completely different.
They’re popping up all over the place, and Aleteia’s For Her posted on this quirky phenomenon recently. The one shown above is from 2013. Google translate tells me it’s “Brothers and sisters in Piazza Yenne – ‘Listen to Your Thirst.'”
Aleteia’s For Her noted:
These viral videos are proof that even the most devout among us can embrace the lighter side of life, and connect with others through a pure and simple thing: shared joy. While watching these videos today, it was a nice reminder for me that you don’t need to be anything specific to join in this kind of movement: you don’t have to be a hip 20-something, a nun or even a good dancer to participate in flash mobs, mannequin challenges, carpool karaoke sessions, or any other viral Internet sensations … all you need is a sense of humor and a love of life.
Another more recent video, below, is from Italy. It was posted on Facebook earlier this month and has racked up over six million views so far. I wish I knew the context. Any ideas?
UPDATE: A Franciscan friend points out that the brothers in the videos are all Franciscans— and there’s a history of St. Francis himself being depicted as dancing, as an expression of his spiritual joy:
And today we celebrate...