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Every day, dozens of people visit a small home in Australia to witness tears
flow from the eyes of a statue of Our Lady of Fatima. Sixteen year-old Sam
Scevola from Rooty Hill, a town near Sydney, bought the statue in an antique
shop. Shortly after bringing it home, he and his mother discovered drops of
liquid rolling down the statue's face. "It took us a while to realize it was the
statue that was sobbing," says Sam. "My mother and I both collapsed when
the truth sank in."
The statue's crying has since been so constant it has forced the Scevolas to
place cotton balls between the lady's praying hands and her body to collect
the moisture. Church officials are aware of the crying statue, but have no
comment until an investigation can be completed. (Source: The Sun, USA)
BBC: Mystery of Australia's weeping Madonna
13 September, 2002
Scientists in Australia have failed to find the source of tears flowing from the
eyes of a statue of the Virgin Mary.
The parish priest is convinced by it
The fibreglass statue, on display at a Catholic church in Perth, Western
Australia, started weeping fragrant liquid in March.
Thousands of pilgrims have visited the church since the statue's owner
revealed the news last week.
Sceptics are sure the statue is a fake, but no-one has yet been able to prove
it.
Devout Catholic Patty Powell, 47, paid $82 (Aus $150) for the statue in
Bangkok eight years ago.
The statue, which has been dripping a rose-scented oil-like substance, has
been attracting visitors from as far away as the east coast.
'Very tricky'
Perth Archbishop Barry Hickey has said he does not think trickery is involved.
"When I went to see the statue for myself a couple of weeks ago I had
misgivings and was sceptical, but frankly I was impressed," he told AFP news
agency.
But scientists still hope to prove the statue is a fake - if the owner will let them.
Curtin University X-ray expert Rob Hart could find no cavity or sign of fluid
inside the statue, although he reported an unexplained mass at the statue's
feet.
Murdoch University chemist Doug Clarke, who tested the oily liquid, told
reporters he thought someone had been "very tricky", but he could find no
proof the statue was fake.
He said the tears were a vegetable oil, probably olive, scented with a rose-oil
mix, but a cat-scan would show definitively whether there was oil inside.
However the owner is reportedly satisfied the statue is genuine and may
refuse to submit it for more tests.
"The smell was hauntingly familiar, as if it were a local scent, but none of us
could tell where it came from," said Mr Clarke.
Parish priest Finbarr Walsh said the statue was giving great comfort to the
sick including a dying priest who was anointed with the oily tears on
Wednesday.
"Two hours later he was sitting up in bed as cheerful as anything," he said.
The statue is being shown for a few hours a week at Our Lady of Lourdes
church, in the Perth suburb of Rockingham.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2255713.stm
Posting date: 9/18/2002
Original article date: 9/18/2002
Category: News & Media Reports
flow from the eyes of a statue of Our Lady of Fatima. Sixteen year-old Sam
Scevola from Rooty Hill, a town near Sydney, bought the statue in an antique
shop. Shortly after bringing it home, he and his mother discovered drops of
liquid rolling down the statue's face. "It took us a while to realize it was the
statue that was sobbing," says Sam. "My mother and I both collapsed when
the truth sank in."
The statue's crying has since been so constant it has forced the Scevolas to
place cotton balls between the lady's praying hands and her body to collect
the moisture. Church officials are aware of the crying statue, but have no
comment until an investigation can be completed. (Source: The Sun, USA)
BBC: Mystery of Australia's weeping Madonna
13 September, 2002
Scientists in Australia have failed to find the source of tears flowing from the
eyes of a statue of the Virgin Mary.
The parish priest is convinced by it
The fibreglass statue, on display at a Catholic church in Perth, Western
Australia, started weeping fragrant liquid in March.
Thousands of pilgrims have visited the church since the statue's owner
revealed the news last week.
Sceptics are sure the statue is a fake, but no-one has yet been able to prove
it.
Devout Catholic Patty Powell, 47, paid $82 (Aus $150) for the statue in
Bangkok eight years ago.
The statue, which has been dripping a rose-scented oil-like substance, has
been attracting visitors from as far away as the east coast.
'Very tricky'
Perth Archbishop Barry Hickey has said he does not think trickery is involved.
"When I went to see the statue for myself a couple of weeks ago I had
misgivings and was sceptical, but frankly I was impressed," he told AFP news
agency.
But scientists still hope to prove the statue is a fake - if the owner will let them.
Curtin University X-ray expert Rob Hart could find no cavity or sign of fluid
inside the statue, although he reported an unexplained mass at the statue's
feet.
Murdoch University chemist Doug Clarke, who tested the oily liquid, told
reporters he thought someone had been "very tricky", but he could find no
proof the statue was fake.
He said the tears were a vegetable oil, probably olive, scented with a rose-oil
mix, but a cat-scan would show definitively whether there was oil inside.
However the owner is reportedly satisfied the statue is genuine and may
refuse to submit it for more tests.
"The smell was hauntingly familiar, as if it were a local scent, but none of us
could tell where it came from," said Mr Clarke.
Parish priest Finbarr Walsh said the statue was giving great comfort to the
sick including a dying priest who was anointed with the oily tears on
Wednesday.
"Two hours later he was sitting up in bed as cheerful as anything," he said.
The statue is being shown for a few hours a week at Our Lady of Lourdes
church, in the Perth suburb of Rockingham.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2255713.stm
Posting date: 9/18/2002
Original article date: 9/18/2002
Category: News & Media Reports
