Identifying a religious order

March 29, 2005 10:35 AM

When shooting photos of the protest outside Schiavo's hospice in Pinellas, I encountered a distinctively ornamented religious group. I've never seen anything like this before, and Google is inconclusive -- an ID would be appreciated. Pictures inside.

There were six men in suits. Three were holding a sort of platform with a large statue of the Virgin Mary on it. They were chanting/reciting/praying something (I am not religious enough to know what) and I didn't want to interrupt them to ask who they were. I looked at some of the AP feeds for the event, later on, and found another photograph which, I think, showed the tail end of their procession.

First photo, the men carrying their statue.
Enlargement of the pin on the red sashes. From above photo.
AP image of what I believe is the same procession, after they'd passed us by. I think the red banner with the lion was theirs. I don't think the Mary of Guadalupe image is theirs, since they didn't have it when I saw them on their way in, but again I am not sure.

Thanks, in advance!

posted by cmyk to society & culture (11 comments total)

Shriners? First thing I thought of but I don't think that's right.
posted by agregoli at 10:42 AM on March 29, 2005

It's the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 10:55 AM on March 29, 2005

monju_bosatsu has it. I saw a few of these guys handing out flyers in downtown St. Louis during lunchtime a couple years ago.
posted by zsazsa at 11:01 AM on March 29, 2005

Excellent! Thank you, monju_bosatsu!
posted by cmyk at 11:02 AM on March 29, 2005

Be sure to check out the poll on their home page!
posted by PlusDistance at 12:20 PM on March 29, 2005

Hm, it's kind of like The Villiage Green Preservation Society only probably much angrier...
posted by idontlikewords at 3:15 PM on March 29, 2005

Having viewed that, I now feel ill. The USA is in grave danger.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:19 PM on March 29, 2005

Have you checked out overstock.com yet? There's a good chance they'll have something you'd like.
posted by LadyBonita at 1:00 AM on March 30, 2005

sorry, posted in the wrong place.
posted by LadyBonita at 1:02 AM on March 30, 2005

Crazy bastards.
posted by grahamux at 3:40 AM on March 30, 2005

The USA is in grave danger because some Catholc nutjobs dress up in red sashes? I wish that could even be taken seriously any more.
posted by dagnyscott at 8:15 AM on March 30, 2005