Pirated 'Passion' videos prove to be hot sellers

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Street peddlers who traditionally hawk palm-thatch holy crosses, incense and ceramic religious statuettes outside churches during Holy Week had a new item that was outselling all others this year: pirated videos of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."
Thousands of Venezuelans were picking up cheap copies of the controversial film, which depicts the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus Christ.
"The sale of the movie has given me more profits than the sale of candles, statues and icons," said Alejandro, who gave only his first name. "The majority of my customers are young people, kids that were never before interested in a movie about the Bible."
Gibson's film is drawing crowds to theaters in this mostly Roman Catholic country.
Posters outside entrances to churches invite parishioners to view the movie.
The film is meant "to create an environment of reflection and maturation of faith," the Rev. Luis Avendano said.