Crying Mary

Store: Orlando Catholic Diocese To Check 'Crying' Statue
Statue No Longer For Sale

POSTED: 11:22 pm EDT April 23, 2007
UPDATED: 9:23 am EDT April 24, 2007

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A statue of the Virgin Mary shipped overseas to a Central Florida business has grabbed the attention of the Orlando Catholic Diocese and groups of worshippers after it apparently shed a black tear inside the store.

Castle Designs in Orlando received the marble statue weeks ago from overseas, according to the report.

The statue is a reproduction of the Pieta -- one of Michelangelo's greatest works of art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Christ.

The black tear was just recently noticed at the store and owners said it appears to be coming from inside the statue.

"We started noticing that there was a small gray line every day that kept getting darker and darker," Castle Designs CEO Les Roberts said.

"It doesn't appear to be stained from the outside so it's kind of unusual because it does appear to be coming form the inside," Castle Designs representative Chris Wilson said.

Store owners said the members of the Orlando Catholic Diocese plan to come to the business and look at the statue.

"It could have been anywhere on this entire statue, why on that one spot?" Roberts said. "That's what's amazing."

Groups of people have already traveled to the store to worship.

"Some people are asking for private prayers," Roberts said. "When somebody's here kneeling at the statue, I try to give them some time away because it's between them and their God."

The store has roped off the area where the statue is located and owners have decided not to sell it.

The business has also offered the Orlando Catholic Diocese the chance to display the statue if they so chose, the report said.