Did Kisumu residents see Jesus or is it just pareidolia?

The rock in Kaila village in Seme, Kisumu County, that is said to look like the Virgin Mary carrying baby Jesus. PHOTO | RUSHDIE OUDIA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Activities in Kaila village, Seme, came to a standstill as residents and Legio Maria faithful milled around a rock they claimed had the image of the Virgin Mary carrying baby Jesus.

Curious people on Tuesday travelled from as far away as Kisumu, Bondo and Luanda towns to view the mysterious rock they said was a miracle and a sign of good tidings for the area and the county at large.

At the foot of the rock, some people spoke in tongues, prayed and sang. Others stayed overnight to pray.

Seeing faces in inanimate objects is a phenomenon that has existed since time immemorial and people who claim to see an image of Jesus or the Virgin Mary on rocks are not crazy.

Legio Maria faithful hold prayers at the foot of a rock in Kaila, Seme, Kisumu County, on May 30,2017. PHOTO | ONDARI OGEGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

It is a well-known psychological phenomenon known as pareidolia.

Pareidolia can cause people to interpret random images as significant or meaningful.

American astronomer and author Carl Sagan argues that pareidolia evolved as a survival tool that allowed humans to recognise faces from a distance or in the dark.

The instinct was vital to identifying friends or foes, but Dr Sagan noted that it could cause people to misinterpret patterns.

Researchers in Canada released a study showing humans are hardwired to recognise faces and this means many people may instinctually identify the contours and features of faces on virtually anything - from chapatti with the image of Christ burnt on to a face of Jesus on a pancake.

"Seeing 'Jesus in toast' reflects our brain's normal functioning and the active role that the frontal cortex plays in visual perception," stated a press release summarising the findings.

"Instead of the phrase 'seeing is believing' the results suggest that 'believing is seeing.'"

HUMAN EXPECTATIONS

Another best-known case of mass pareidolia happened in Makueni County two years ago. Dozens of people flocked to a dam in Katheka village to see an alleged appearance of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus on a rock.

Experts say seeing "divine" faces, instead of just a funny-shaped rock, tell us more about our expectations. 

Sophie Scott, professor of neuroscience at the University College London, cautions against underestimating the power of expectations.

"Being able to see Jesus's face in toast is telling you more about what's happening with your expectations, and how you're interpreting the world based on your expectations, rather than anything that's necessarily in the toast," Dr. Scott told the BBC.

Additional reporting by Nation Reporter.