LINDEN, Calif. -- A Stockton, Calif.-area businessman is peddling blessed bottled water.

The half-liter bottles of Holy Drinking Water are being distributed by Wayne Enterprises. They only carry the blessings of Catholic and Anglican priests, but company President Brian Germann plans to expand to other faiths.

He said he thought of the concept last year and has sold about 3,000 bottles since January at a Linden market and on the Internet.

He claimed the idea came to him on June 6, 2006, believed by some to be an ill-fated day because of the three sixes in 6/6/06, a Christian symbol of evil.

The bottles of plain purified water carry a label that warns sinners who drink the water that they may experience burning, intense heat, sweating and skin irritations.