One of the oldest stories in the holy powers of Catholicism is the phenomenon of weeping or crying statues. Virgin Mary sculptures shedding tears by supernatural means have been documented throughout Ireland, South America, and southern Europe. Reported weeping statues are most often of the Virgin Mary and are at times accompanied by claims of Marian apparitions. While many skeptics are quick to write off the phenomenon with invalidity, the local population often considers these strange occurrences to be under the guise of a miracle.
Weeping statues have been reported in various parts of the world and have been a part of the folklore of many cultures for centuries. Some people believe that the liquid exuded by these statues has healing properties and can cure ailments or provide other blessings.
Around November 1992, in Santiago, Chile, a six-inch high, blue, and white porcelain statue of the Virgin Mary began weeping blood. This figure, which belonged to a local housewife, became an attraction for locals in the La Cisterna district and was even verified by Chilean police. Medical doctors at the Santiago coroner’s office discovered that the liquid produced at the statue’s eyes was type O-4 human blood.
An almost identical event occurred in the small village of Mura, 35 miles north of Barcelona in Spain. A two-foot-high marble statue of the Virgin Mary was situated on a seven-foot-high pedestal outside the village church. It was discovered in March of 1998, by a local priest that the statue was crying tears of blood. Residents of Mura were thoroughly convinced the phenomenon was genuine. The statue had not been meddled with, and further investigation uncovered that the blood was flowing from the figurine in a particular human fashion.
There have been instances where scientists have examined weeping statues and have found that the liquid exuded was not of a miraculous nature. In one case, a statue of the Virgin Mary in Canada was found to be exuding oil, but upon further investigation it was determined that the oil was likely the result of a natural seepage from the ground beneath the statue.
Undoubtedly, skeptics are quick to dismiss such stories by promoting fancy theories that water is soaked up by the base of the statues, mixes with red clay inside, and then seeps out from the head as blood. Others suggest these instances have been concocted using a basic magic trick. It should certainly be noted that the actual point when blood appears on such statues is rarely witnessed. However, these trivial explanations have no effect on a gullible public. While it is crucial to search for the truth at whatever means possible, this kind of religious mysticism is a pleasing way of reminding us that there is still an array of things in life that are just inexplicable.
Despite these findings, many people continue to believe in the miraculous nature of weeping statues and view them as signs of divine intervention or spiritual significance. In some cases, weeping statues have become places of pilgrimage for those seeking healing or spiritual guidance.
Overall, the phenomenon of weeping statues remains a source of fascination and debate, with some viewing them as miraculous signs of divine intervention and others attributing them to natural causes. Whether or not one believes in the miraculous nature of weeping statues, they remain an enduring part of cultural folklore and spirituality.
