A statue of the Virgin Mary which has apparently begun crying tears of blood is being investigated by church officials in Mexico.
The statue shows Mary in her guise as Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of five visions of her said to have been revealed to a peasant called Juan Diego and his uncle Juan Bernardino in the 1500s.
Its startled owners, a family in Morelia, in the state of Michoacan, contacted Catholic officials when it apparently started to shed dark red tears from its eyes on 2nd June.
Photographs of the statue appear to show it with dark streaks running down its cheeks as if it had been crying blood.
The sign is believed to be a divine message by believers of the original apparitions.
But local church officials urged worshippers not to get carried away.
The Archdiocese of Morelia said in a statement: “It is necessary to highlight the need for caution when approaching an issue as delicate as that of an alleged miracle.”
They added: “The Archdiocese of Morelia is taking the necessary measures to investigate the situation in a deep and exhaustive manner. Therefore, it is too early to issue a definitive position on the matter.”
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.