ITALY: WEEPING MADONNA IS RETURNED TO CHURCH

Описание: (17 Jun 1995) Italian/Nat
Around two-thousand worshippers gathered at an Italian church for the return of the Weeping Madonna, a statue said to have wept tears of blood.
It's the first time the statue was seen in public since prosecutors ordered an investigation in March.
Officials in Civitavecchia now say the city's set to become another Lourdes.
There was celebration when Bishop Girolamo Grillo held the Weeping Madonna aloft before the crowd.
The miracle of Civitavecchia began back in February when Fabio Gregori announced that the 17-inch ( 43-centimeter) statue of the Virgin Mary in his garden was weeping blood.
The following Sunday two-thousand pilgrims visited his garden to pray before the plaster Virgin.
Other people also swore they saw tears of blood on the statue's cheeks.
But then prosecutors ordered the statue to be locked up in the bishop's house while they investigated possible violations of Italy's "abuse of public credulity" law.
Tests have now established that the blood is that of a white male but the owner of the statue has refused to undergo a blood test.
In June, the bishop decided finally to set the Madonna free and return it to the pilgrims.
VOXPOP: (Italian)
"I haven't seen her crying but I believe in her. This place has something special, it gives a feeling a peace that you can perceive. You know there is something special."
A special niche has been built in San Agostino Catholic church on the outskirts of Civitavecchia to house the statue.
The Madonna was bought in August 1994 in Medjugorje, Slovenia by Pablo Martin who gave it as present to Fabio Gregori.
Fabio has now given the statue to the church.
He came to the ceremony Saturday with his five year old daughter, who was the first to claim she'd seen the statue cry.
Around two-thousand people turned out to welcome the Madonna - but that was fewer than expected.
SOUNDBITE (Italian)
"Today, the authorities said they were expecting between five-thousand and 10- thousand people but that has to be verified."
SUPER CAPTION Mario Bomboi, City Council
However the authorities believe the statue will soon bring thousands more to their city.
They're already preparing for Civitavecchia to become another Lourdes.

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