Icons of Madonna and Jesus shed blood - scientists say "AN EXTRAORDINARY AND AMAZING PHENOMENON"

Spirit Daily ^ | February 4, 2005

[NYer]

Every now and then one reads in the news that some Image of the Madonna is weeping. Sometimes these tears are blood and the news are then much more impressive. The skeptics smile; the ecclesiastical authorities evaluate the event with great prudence, with good reason, and they avoid making definite judgments; science does not get involved, and if it does, it is at the level practiced by amateurs. Then, as time passes, the event becomes less interesting, fades from memory, and is soon forgotten. Only in very rare cases is the event of such importance that it is acknowledged as true and real and is then certified as authentic and of a supernatural origin. An example is the research that was carried out on the "Weeping Madonna of Syracuse." [It was declared authentic and of supernatural origin.]

We will now tell you of a recent similar event, still unknown, which reveals itself to be truly astounding because the first judgment released came from science, science at the highest level, a judgment that opens viewpoints to amazing hypotheses.

The event involves two Sacred Icons that shed tears of blood on two separate occasions. The two Icons belong to Padre Pietro Maria Chiriatti, 59 years old, a Priest since 1990, founder of a small Congregation called "The Missionnaries of Our Lady of the Quarry," who lives in a modest dwelling in Alberobello, Puglia,Italy. Padre Pietro tells us:

 

"It was on the 3 of May 2003, around 6 in the evening, I had gone to my room to
take some medication when I noticed that the Icon which represents the Madonna
with Child, hanging above my prayer kneeler, had spots on its face. Because I
have poor eyesight I touched the Image and felt that it was wet. I called my
fellow members (Confreres) and all of us could see that she was shedding tears."

 

The phenomenon lasted thirty minutes and was witnessed by other persons whom Padre Pietro had immediately called. This event was recorded on video tape. Padre Pietro wiped the blood with a handkerchief and sent it to a laboratory to be tested.

Approximately one year later, on the 27 May 2004, the phenomenon repeated itself on another Icon of Padre Pietro that represents the Face of Jesus as it appears on the Shroud of Turin. This time it was more than a weeping Icon, it was a bloody sweat. The Face of Jesus was striped by seven streaks of blood that trickled down from the forehead, along the cheeks, over the beard, and running over the picture frame of the Icon. Padre Pietro, frightened, called out to all who were in the house to come and see; he then telephoned the police, the parish priest and the doctor. This phenomenon lasted for one and a half hours and was witnessed by about 50 persons.

Once again, Padre Pietro collected some of the blood and sent the sample to the same laboratory where he had previously sent the blood that had appeared on the Face of the Virgin. And it was here, in this scientific laboratory, where the extraordinary characteristics of these related events became known. It must be made very clear that this laboratory is one of the most prestigious in Europe. It is the Genetics Forensic Laboratory of the University of Bologna, equipped with the most modern sophisticated equipment with a team of researchers, doctors and biologists University Professors. This laboratory specializes in everything related to DNA. It works with Secret Services and Police of many nations and is in contact with other similar laboratories of other countries.


This laboratory has Scientific Authority, therefore a verdict released by this laboratory is of indisputable [unquestionable] value.

After carrying out all the tests, the laboratory researchers sent Padre Pietro an official document stating, in resume,

 

"the blood is human blood, of group AB, male, and was found to be identical in

the two samples tested, the blood from the tears from the Icon of the Virgin

 and the blood that appeared of the Face of Jesus are the same." But there is

more, the document continues from its evaluations to something that seems really

incredible: "the configuration of the genetic features found in the Y chromosome

 does not correspond to any of the configurations present in the world wide

 data bank where the data of 22,000 male subjects from 187 different populations

is kept."

And further on we read:

 

"This blood is so rare that it must be considered as almost unique.

 By calculation, the statistical probability of finding, in the course

of millennia, a typology of the same blood type, is almost nil, the

mathematical probability of this happening is in the order of

1 in 200 billion possible cases."

[In other words 1 on 200,000,000,000.]

 

What does all this mean? In the first place, the data obtained excludes in an absolute manner any case of fraud, deception or deceit: there is no one in the world who could be in a position to produce blood with similar characteristics. On the other hand, because we are dealing with a unique type of blood, the data indicates that it belongs to only one single Person and to no other person in all of humanity's history. Therefore it comes from a Man who has no ancestor and no descendant [offsprings]. Therefore it becomes quite clear and if we go to the Gospels and see what is written there about Jesus, [we learn there that He was] a Man unlike all others (unique) with these characteristics. While on this subject, it is quite significant that the blood which appeared on the Image of the Virgin is identical to the blood which appeared on the Face of the Image of Jesus. We could say from these results that we possibly could have for the first time ever the scientific data concerning the physical Person of Jesus: the DNA of Jesus, God Incarnated in a Body that is and will remain unique.

It is still too early to arrive at a final conclusion, but the verdict from science is, for all purposes, precise, public and without ambiguity. The scholars [researchers] who released this information did it in a cold [controlled], mathematical, but very clear language. They have specifically affirmed that they found themselves in front of something unique. And they are the ones, accustomed to scientific precision, to show with wonder, the extraordinary nature of these results. In a private letter to Padre Pietro, one of the researchers wrote: "these are results to stun with amazement even a statue." And again: "faced with the results of these analyses is incredible to me, and that is not saying much to say this, I could not even succeed in hiding my tears." And another one told him: "This is real human blood, but it seems to really come from another world."

The ecclesiastical authorities are naturally aware of these facts and are presently investigating and evaluating them. Their prudence [caution] will be tremendous, and with good reason, for it is right that it should be so. But the scientific results lead one to think that we are perhaps faced with a supernatural Sign of exceptional importance.

[resources: The Day Will Come]

[Aquinasfan]

The blood type on the Shroud of Turin and the Sudarium of Oviedo is also AB.

The claim of a unique type of blood is interesting. Does anyone understand the science behind this claim?

[NYer]

The Flesh is real Flesh. The Blood is real Blood.

52

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?"

53

Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.

54

Whoever eats ¹⁹ my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

55

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

56

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
John
Chapter 6

[murphE]

I think miracles like Lanciano are a very appropriate teaching tool for CCD.

Unfortunately, the DRE of my former parish did not share your opinion. :-(

[Buggman]

A similar story was done in the Christ Clone Trilogy, only they used the blood on the Shroud of Turin as their sample, IIRC.

Actually, my current theory is that it isn't the Antichrist, but the False Prophet who will claim to be Jesus returned (cloned, whatever). That way, when the False Prophet directs the world to worship the Antichrist, the Antichrist will truly be exalting himself "over everything that is called God or is worshipped" rather than simply pretending to be Jesus, which seems more in line with what both Daniel (chaps. 7, 8, and 11) and Paul (2 Th. 2) teach. It would also explain why in Revelation 13, it is the False Prophet, not the Antichrist Beast, that is compared to the appearance of Jesus, having "two horns like a lamb."

Just some food for thought.

[Swordmaker]

Interesting.

The chain of evidence is unclear. The Padre is too intimately involved in the event to not raise questions of his involvement in some kind of hoax: both Icons are his property, both developed bloody exudations, the incidents were discovered by him alone, both samples were collected by him.

The reports of the "scientific reports" don't read like they were done objectively. I also question the conclusions as being scientifically conclusive.

"the blood is human blood, of group AB, male, and was found to be identical in the two samples tested, the blood from the tears from the Icon of the Virgin and the blood that appeared of the Face of Jesus are the same."

But there is more, the document continues from its evaluations to something that seems really incredible: 

"the configuration of the genetic features found in the Y chromosome does not correspond to any of the configurations present in the world wide data bank where the data of 22,000 male subjects from 187 different populations is kept."

And further on we read:

  "This blood is so rare that it must be considered as almost unique. By calculation, the statistical probability of finding, in the course of millennia, a typology of the same blood type, is almost nil, the mathematical probability of this happening is in the order of 1 in 200 billion possible cases."

[In other words 1 on 200,000,000,000.]

The statement that the "typology", not the DNA markers, of the blood is almost unique (sic - that's like saying "she's almost pregnant") is a little strange... no, scientifically, it is more than a little strange. Type AB Blood, if you count both negative and positive alleles, is possessed by about 5% of the population of the Earth. If they are talking about the "almost unique" DNA of the samples, then ANY individual will have "almost unique" DNA ... actually most likely everyone not a member of an identical birth set (twins, triplets, etc.) has unique DNA. That is the theoretical base for using DNA for forensic purposes.

This article is too "gee, whow" to give it much credence. I am reserving judgement... but my BS stink-o-meter says that the priest has something to do with the placing of the blood on the icons.

[Aquinasfan]

Unfortunately, the DRE of my former parish did not share your opinion. :-(

Probably the same one that works at our parish. It's like they all come from central casting. Or maybe they're pod people.

[escapefromboston]

I would rather have James Randi. Penn is just a loud mouth.

[sharktrager]

Read the Christ Clone Trilogy.

You basically have 3/4 of your idea in those books. They just differ on the source of the blood. (Shroud of Turin)

[YankeeinOkieville]

My blood is "O-neg". I guess we're not related.

[Pyro7480]

The Miracle of Lanciano blood is also AB.

[netmilsmom]

>>The Miracle of Lanciano blood is also AB.<<

Is that the host that bleeds?

I'm A+ so I'm not related either....

[Pyro7480]

It's the host that became a piece of flesh (heart tissue to be specific) and the consecrated wine that became real AB blood at the moment of consecration in southern Italy over a thousand years ago, and is still there.

[xm177e2]

I would rather have James Randi.

You'd think someone with a Bleeding Jesus doll would want Randi's cool million.

I mean, it's a chance to win a million dollars and prove to skeptics once and for all that the supernatural is real. They could save a lot of souls that way.

::snicker::

[Romish_Papist]

If you're serious about a tale in this vein, FReepmail me. I'm an amateur writer and this idea intrigues me. :)

[gal522]

Very interesting but causes me to feel an extreme amount of caution; just because this stuff is coming out of a Christian picture doesn't necessarily mean it's from God. The Bible says that in the last days there will be signs and wonders that may deceive even the elect... I find this a bit creepy myself.

[Pyro7480]

I think one thing to remember is that the Devil cannot create like God can. He can only corrupt.

[gal522]

Agreed, the devil can't create something that hasn't already been created. But I think that, based on what the Bible says, that the devil can mimic God and he certainly can create "signs and wonders" ... and even appear as an angel of light...

[netmilsmom]

>>But I think that, based on what the Bible says, that the devil can mimic God and he certainly can create "signs and wonders" ... and even appear as an angel of light...<<

Or Our Holy Mother. Look at Medjugjore.

[netmilsmom]

That is amazing!
I have to do some research on this.

[gal522]

All I am saying is stuff like this should be approached with caution... What is the ultimate result of these signs? Is it bringing people closer to Christ, or is it creating a spectacle unto itself?