Chilean miner sheds light on underground religious life

by Tom Gallagher

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February 4, 2011

Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor, covered the National Prayer Breakfast and reports on the Chilean Miners' religious experience during 52 days trapped underground:

"We realized we had only one alternative and that was God himself," said Jose Henriquez in an address to the National Prayer Breakfast on in Washington, speaking to a crowd that included President Barack Obama.

"We were different creeds and churches," Henriquez said, speaking in Spanish with simultaneous translation. "So I got them in a circle and made sure everyone could pray in a participatory fashion. And as we prayed we began to know the presence and blessing among us of God in the mine. We were strengthened, our spirits were revived.”