Virgin Mary vandalized

[TruthSeeker]

from here

A vandal or vandals unknown early Monday morning shattered the world-famous Clearwater Madonna, a rainbow-hued silhouette of Mary that suddenly appeared on the dark-tinted window panes of an office building on the side of the highway back in 1996.

... all that remains in the six panels still intact is what appears to be Mary's mantilla, falling about her shoulders, with her hands folded in prayer. And, for some, there's also a smaller image of the face of Jesus Christ in a lower panel that's visible only at night — but not to these eyes.

The Catholic diocese of St. Petersburg disavows any connection to Shepherds and takes the view that the image is a "naturally explained phenomenon." Except that it can't be scientifically explained, not definitively. The prevailing opinion of glass experts is that it was caused by a chemical reaction between glass, water deposits and ordinary weathering. But even these consultants could not explain what caused this image of a cloaked woman — quite startling in its clarity — to emerge, shimmering in the sunshine. That's where faith took over.

This religious faith was reinforced in 1997, when somebody threw acid on the icon, also attacking by night. The image was extensively defaced. But two days of heavy thunderstorms ensued and when skies cleared, the blemishes were no longer evident and the image miraculously reappeared, albeit with a few drip marks.

Now, some of the more keenly devout hope another miracle will occur — that once the glass panels are replaced, the silhouette of the Madonna will resurrect itself, a new head attaching itself to the torso.

OK, 'fess up...

 

[evildave]

I was on the left coast the whole time.

Here's a site with a picture and history:
http://www.witchvox.com/media/mary_shrine.html

It looks to me like the window panes aren't "true", (i.e., allow the glass to be flat). Some settling of the foundation has occurred. As long as replacement glass is put in the same frames, and the foundation continues to settle, it will warp the replacement glass in the same manner.

 

[Zep]

Some people will believe anything... Yes, they will! They really, REALLY will! Ask Karen Boesen and Winston Wu.

 

[Brown]

Well, now we know that the window was not an authentic miracle. If it were an authentic miracle, the Almighty would have protected it from damage.

 

[c4ts]

It's not my handywork. I would have messed with the air conditioning system until the image changed.

 

[jcon96]

I lived on Tampa when this "miracle" first occured.I vaugely remeber a story that a Madonna and child mural had been on that same window the Christmas before,was scraped off,and then...that appeared. What most people do not realize is that the spriklers on the ground nearby water palms,which are very oily. The water hits the palms,the oil splashes on the window and....well, you folks get the picture.