We told you yesterday about Maradona being named as head coach of the Argentine National soccer team, despite the fact that he has very little coaching experience. Briefly mentioned in the linked article was the Church of Maradona, which I thought was a joke, quite frankly. But evidently it's real. And as you can see, it's members are not at all insane.

Church members celebrate Maradona's 48th birthday in the video, which they refer to as the year D.D. 48 ("Despues," or "After" Diego). Included in the procession is an oversized rosary — sorry, goalary — which includes 34 beads, the number of goals Maradona scored for Argentina.

Founded 10 years ago by a group of friends in Rosario, a port city to the north of Buenos Aires, it has swelled to more than 120,000 members. Dozens of more members were "baptized" on Wednesday by slamming a football with their hand, in homage to the "Hand of God" goal Maradona scored against England in the 1986 World Cup.

If you want to be absolved of your many sins, why not spend an afternoon at the Church of Maradona? No way your indiscretions can be worse than those of Maradona himself, who burns through wives, booze and cocaine faster than just about any patron saint you can name. Well, except for Saint Andrew (shown here holding invisible doobie).

The Church Of Maradona [CNN]
Diego Maradona's 48th Birthday Celebrated By Church of Maradona [Telegraph.co.uk]

Of course it was Maradona who helped usher in Argentina's string of World Cup futility when he was sent home from the 1994 competition after failing a drug test. He retired in 1997.

After retiring 11 years ago, Maradona has remained in the spotlight primarily as the country’s leading real-life soap opera star, waging a series of well-publicized battles with drugs, obesity, the news media and past lovers. Now, the hopes and dreams of 40 million soccer-mad Argentines will rest on the shoulders — much-slimmed after a stomach-stapling operation in 2005 — of a man who, in the words of the local newspaper columnist Horacio Pagani, will be “the least prepared manager in the history of international soccer.”

Maradona was not fully vetted, as they say. His coaching experience includes running two teams, Mandiyú of Corrientes in 1994 and Racing Club in 1995, "without much success." Also on his resume: Became addicted to cocaine in 1983; major heart attack due to cocaine overdose in 2004; gastric bypass surgery in 2005; treatment for hepatitis and effects of alcohol abuse in 2007. He became friends with Fidel Castro while in treatment in Cuba (has portrait of Castro tattooed on left leg), and is also a supporter of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

Fun Maradona quote: "I hate everything that comes from the United States. I hate it with all my strength."

Maradona takes over the national team in December, at which time members of The Church of Maradona can get down to their serious praying. Seriously guys, you're going to have your hands full for the next two years.

An Earthly Realm For A Soccer God [New York Times]