Why Were Pastors 'Laying Hands' on Rick Santorum in TX?

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum stopped in McKinney, Texas, earlier today, where he met with evangelical faith leaders. During their time together, the pastors and congregants "laid hands on" the candidate and prayed for him, as can be seen in the below image:

Santorum, a Catholic, is said to have performed very well among evangelical Christians in these three states. His conservative views on gay marriage, abortion and a multitude of other issues, make him a prime candidate for more right-leaning, socially-conservative voters. The New York Times reports:

All three states that held contests Tuesday have very conservative Republican electorates that are believed to include large numbers of the sort of evangelicals and Tea Party adherents who had flocked to Mr. Santorum’s candidacy in Iowa. It was a turnabout from four years ago, when Mr. Romney won in Colorado and Minnesota as the so-called conservative alternative to the man who became the Republican nominee in 2008, Senator John McCain.

So it seems Santorum may be capturing the attention of Christians and their leaders. When it comes to his meeting with pastors, some who fall outside of the Christian realm may have been confused to see Santorum standing with his head bowed surrounded by numerous pastors with outstretched hands on his shoulders.

This practice, known as the "laying on of hands," is a form of worship during which numerous believers come around an individual and offer up prayers for him or her. The significance is both symbolic and literal, as the Holy Spirit and blessing are sought for the subject of the group prayer.

Below, see a CNN video that shows this:

The conservative contender will be making a number of stops in the Lone Star State, as he seeks out support following well-publicized victories in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri.

(H/T: Townhall)