A hermit (from the Greek erēmos, signifying “desert”, “uninhabited”, hence “desert-dweller”; adjective: “eremitic”) is a person who lives in seclusion and/or isolation from society. According to Sociologist Isacco Turina modern hermits no longer wear long beards and hide away in caves, they live in apartments and surf the Internet just like you or me.

“At the risk of sounding like a caricature, the average hermits are the sort of people who belong on the plains,” he said. “However,” he added, “many have found it is perfectly possible to be totally alone in the middle of a bustling city.”

While working on his new book ‘The New Hermits, The Flight from the World in Modern Italy’ Professor Turina tracked down 37 hermits. He said that most of them were “around 55 years old, and that they had decided to drop out of the rat race when they were between 35 and 50.”

“More people are opting to lead a hermit’s life and turn their backs from the modern world, “although there is no institutional guide on how to do it,” adding that “around 60% of hermits are female.”

As professor Turina said there are now as many as 1000 hermits in Italy, with several hundred more dotted across Europe and the US. According to him, their return started in 1983 when the Vatican offered “full recognition” to hermits who were willing to devote their lives to the solitary “praise of God”.

A company called Spiritour even offers “hermit holidays” in the dunes of Morocco, while Ictus Voyages have a similar retreat in the Sinai desert. Who knows, maybe we could use a break from our lives. I know I certainly would.

According to reports at least 48 people from India’s Kottayam district have lost their sight after staring at the sun hoping to see an image of the Virgin Mary that allegedly appeared above the house of a former hotel owner in Erumeli.

The house has been the subject of rumors for months. The hotel owner, who has since moved, reportedly claimed other miracles happenings in his home, like the statues of the Virgin Mary in his house crying with tears of honey, and bleeding oils and perfumes.

Despite the warnings from the city, the health authorities and church officials regarding the dangers of looking at the sky and exposing the eyes to the sun, 48 cases of sight-loss caused by photochemical burns on the retina have been recorded since Friday.

“All our patients have similar history and symptoms,” said Dr. Anamma James Isaac, an ophthalmologist at the St. Joseph’s ENT and Eye hospital. “they have developed photochemical, not thermal, burns after continuously gazing at the sin.”

According to Dr James Isaac the patients are mostly girls in 12-26 age group. The youngest patient is 12 and the oldest 60. “Most of them were looking at the sun between 2 and 4 pm, when UV1 and UV2 rays are harshest,”
“Most patients may hopefully improve their vision. But there may be long-term effects on the retina,” he added.

All churches in the area have disowned the miracle, but despite warnings, and the potentially harmful effects of the sun to their eyes, believers are still flocking in front of the house where the divine image is said to have appeared. Apparently there are quite a few people still seeking the miracle.

Can fate really be that blinding?