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Sun 26 Oct, 2003 08:38 am
Seeing Mary in
a stump in N.J.
By PAUL H.B. SHIN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Pilgrims have adorned Passaic, N.J., tree stump they say features likeness of Virgin Mary.
The Lord may work in mysterious ways - but a tree stump in Passaic, N.J.?A gnarled, 3-foot-tall stump at Hope Ave. and Madison St. has caused a sensation among believers who say the deadwood is a dead ringer for the Virgin Mary."It's incredible," said Pedro De La Luz, 28, who took a picture of the stump with his cell phone to send to his family in Mexico. "Milagro" (miracle), he said.Pilgrims placed hundreds of votive candles, bouquets and images of the Virgin Mary around the stump since word started spreading last week.In the beginningA woman reportedly spotted the stump Oct. 17 after a business group hired someone to clear the overgrown patch of land next to a highway overpass where addicts were known to use drugs."The farther you go back, the better you see the image of the Virgin," said Carlos Curling, 44. "It's just great to see the faith of the people."Someone had even erected a wooden shelter over the shrine Friday night."I was a little skeptical coming here, but when I walked up to it, I said, 'Oh, my God,'" said Linda, 47, of Wayne, N.J., who gave only her first name.Others weren't quite so sure."I'm still thinking about it," said Alicja Poltorak, 49, who came from nearby Clifton, to see it for herself. "It's whatever you believe, I guess."Margaret, a local Catholic who also gave only her first name, said it was good for the community even though she couldn't see the image herself."Even if it's not true, it's good because there are so many bad things in the world," she said.The Virgin Mary has been sighted by the faithful in Fatima, Portugal; Lourdes, France, and Guadalupe, Mexico.
Originally published on October 26, 2003
Amazing, astonishing, Oh Wow. People see whatever the choose to see particularly when blinded by religion.
When I was about 3 years old my older brother took me to see the original Frankenstein movie. For years afterwards I saw Frankenstein in every dark room. It was hot sleeping with my head tucked safely under the blanket.
My favorite has always been the holy tortilla.
Re: Seeing Mary in a stump in N.J.
au1929 wrote:"It was good for the community even though she couldn't see the image herself."Even if it's not true, it's good because there are so many bad things in the world," she said.The Virgin Mary has been sighted by the faithful in Fatima, Portugal; Lourdes....
Amazing, astonishing, Oh Wow. People see whatever the choose to see particularly when blinded by religion.
Their candles are lit in hope, Au, and their own reverence. That's not a horrible thing, is it?
Phoenix... LOL... Did you try to paint it out?
Edgar/... I'd eat it, wouldn't you>?
Anyway, I'm always picking up "art" off the beach and in the woods, so it doesn't seem so strange to me. In broad outline I can see a resemblance even on the computer screen. Maybe you haven't seen enough small Mary statues in Catholic gardens.
Usually it's either a Mary or a St. Francis, right? I imagine "the further back you go," as some guy said, it does look more like a pensive Madonna. Faithful Catholics love this because whether or not it is a miracle, you ought to be lighting several candles a week anyway, one place or another. Who doesn't love Mary, for Christ's sake?
I wonder where it will end up, probably at a summer camp somewhere.
Lots of us kept company with the devil at one time or another.
Piffka
Seems to be rorschach test for the faithful.
You should see the variety of faces I've found in my potato patch. Oy!
if she's that stiff, no wonder she's still a virgin......
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