‘No explanation’ for crying statue

A STUDY conducted on the case of a statue of the Madonna in Italy reported to have shed tears of blood a decade ago concluded that the event has no human explanation.

Leading newspaper NewCorriere della Sera yesterday reported it had viewed the document ordered by the Civitavecchia diocese to review the case from several points of view and was put together by theologians, historians and doctors. It published what it said was a summary of its findings.

Corriere said the document critically analyses all testimonies given at the time, as well as all possible explanations for the phenomenon.

"Everything they (the experts) say unanimously indicates that in that corner of the earth at the gates of Rome an event took place that has no human explanation and points at the mystery of the Supernatural," Corriere wrote.

The Corriere article was written by Vittorio Messori, a Catholic author.

The case of the Madonna of Civitavecchia made headlines 10 years ago, drawing thousands of faithful to the town.

In February 1995, a five-year-old girl claimed she saw the statue cry tears of blood.

The city's bishop, Monsignor Girolamo Grillo, claimed the statue cried in his hands.

The Vatican has offered little comment over the years and nobody was available to comment yesterday.