One month after two separate single-car accidents on a Veracruz highway claimed the lives of six people and left two children severely injured, a local priest blessed a stretch of that highway with holy water.

Father Ramiro Baxin Ixtepan, the parish priest at the church of Santa Ana in Soconusco, conducted the unorthodox ceremony in the company of a handful of parishioners and Alma Leticia Borquez de Baruch, president of the local DIF social assistance program.

The priest began the rite by saying a prayer at the arch that marks the entrance to Soconusco from federal Highway 180, praying for fewer accidents.

Municipal police controlled traffic on the trans-isthmus highway between the southern Veracruz cities of Acayucan and Jáltipan while Father Baxin stood in the back of a pick-up truck sprinkling holy water along the road.

The priest then got out of the vehicle at the site of the two accidents and, after dipping the rosemary sprigs in the bucket of holy water, blessed the road while leading the congregants in prayer. 

According to the Facebook post published by the church, Father Baxin said the following: “With this sacramental blessing, we ask almighty God the Father that through his grace he  guides all those who traverse this highway such that with his protection they may overcome life’s difficulties, realize their dreams and arrive happily at their destination.”

Responses to the Facebook post demonstrated support for the blessing ceremony, with several users suggesting other highways that could be blessed as well. Others suggested that in addition to the blessing, it would be helpful if the highway was repaved.

The radio station W Radio reported on its website that many attendees were hopeful that the blessing would provide greater protection to those traveling on this stretch of the highway.

The municipal authorities of Soconusco also issued an advisory to the public, calling on motorists to obey the posted speed limit. 

According to the Catholic Church, holy water can be used to bless people, places and things that are used by humans in their goal of glorifying God with their lives. The practice is meant to visibly represent God’s sanctifying work in all parts of people’s lives.

With reports from El Financiero, W Radio and Diario del Istmo