Virgin Mary shrine at tree stump gets permanent shelter

International Herald-Tribune ^ | December 5, 2006

[Alex Murphy]

PASSAIC, New Jersey: Hundreds of Roman Catholics believe they see an image of the Virgin Mary in a tree stump beside a highway overpass here.

Now the site is getting a permanent shelter to replace the plywood lean-to the city dismantled two months ago, citing safety concerns after the makeshift roof collapsed amid prayer candles, flowers and rosary beads.

The stump was to be moved to a nearby church, but a group of business owners of Mexican heritage from New Jersey and New York raised money for a permanent shrine, which has a devoted following of Mexican and Polish immigrants, the Herald News of West Paterson reported Tuesday.

"It was just time that the Mexican community came together as one to focus on helping the community," said Maria DeDios, treasurer of the newly formed United Mexican Chamber of Commerce. "The shrine has brought us together and it shows what unity can do."

One volunteer worker, Laurencio Barrios, a native of Mexico, smoothed mortar on bricks at the site Monday.

"I'm taking extra care, because it's for the Virgin," he said.

Work is to be done by Dec. 12, the holy day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a manifestation of the Virgin Mary who is the patron saint of Mexico.

Landscaper Jaime Delgado, who is overseeing construction, said he has secured permits for work on the state-owned land from the city and the state Department of Transportation.

The DOT had no immediate comment Tuesday.

[Alex Murphy]

Oct 21, 2003 12:24 pm US/Central

Several See Virgin Mary In Tree Stump

Crowds Are Flocking To The Site In Passaic, New Jersey (AP) PASSAIC, N.J. Several people claim an image of the Virgin Mary has appeared in a tree stump after a cluster of trees were mysteriously cut down.

Crowds have flocked to the Passaic site in recent days since word of the image began spreading. The state Department of Transportation owns the land, but no work order was issued for the tiny tract and officials do not know who performed the work.

Some visitors say the clearing was an act of God.

"It looks like Mary," Camilo Diaz, 41, told the Herald News of West Paterson for Tuesday's editions. "There's no way it was carved to look like that, no explanation other than it was a miracle."

The image was first noticed Saturday night by Nilma Ruiz as she drove by the site with her daughter. Ruiz initially thought someone had left a ceramic statue at the site, but she saw the image after they stopped to take a closer look.

While some people have fallen to their knees and prayed upon arrival at the site, other visitors — including Mayor Sammy Rivera — say they see nothing but a stump.

Meanwhile, some visitors claim a similar image of Mary in a flowing gown can be seen on a nearby bridge after the sun goes down.

[kittymyrib]

Who cares what DOT does. What is ICE doing? If you are hunting, go to where the ducks are.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I've seen visions of "saints" twice. Once when I looked at the ceiling of a baptist Church, there was a saint! or was it a water stain from a leak. I pointed it out to the precher and we both marveled how it looked like a head and shoulders of someone.

Two weeks ago I was driving my tractor in the lower pasture when I saw the Virgin Mary at my house. I was shocked for a second till I realized it was just a large umbrella folded up. I even mentioned it to my wife and from a distance it did look like a popular statue of Mary.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Typos mine. Someday I will learn what the spell checker is for.