Photo by C. Goodwin

An Australian woman says her illness was cured when she drank from a holy tap in Hermannsburg.  The tap is located next to a former Lutheran church, and aboriginal people believe the tap is therefore on holy ground. Lutheran officials are uneasy about the whole thing and hope to avoid a mass influx of people seeking to drink from the tap to cure their ailments. Hundreds of people have already done so, however, so the clergy may be out of luck.

The precinct manager for Hermannsburg, Heidi Williams, says the piping in the area is in need of repair but she is now afraid to make the repairs lest that change the properties of the water (and make the pilgrims and their money go away, I would imagine).

People will do strange things when they’re desperate for healing or desperate for dollars.

There is no word on what the nature of the woman’s illness was, nor are their other accounts of particular ailments being cured. The power of suggestion is strong, though, and perhaps plain old water can have healing power via the placebo effect. Maybe the water is particularly blessed because of its location. Perhaps the deteriorating pipes have allowed in some mineral contamination that helps with certain conditions. Whatever the cause, no harm seems to be coming to anyone, aside from a nuisance to the church next door, and people are feeling like they are getting their needs met.

- Julie

Sources:
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/05/26/150421_ntnews.html
http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/weird/hundreds-flock-to-hermannsburg-to-partake-in-holy-tap-water-from-side-of-lutheran-church/story-e6frep26-1225871838363