Thousands of people have gathered at a church in Argentina after an image of Jesus Christ is said to be dripping “blood.”
A mysterious red substance “suddenly appeared” on the face of Jesus in a depiction of the last supper at the Oratory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Yerba Buena, Tucuman province.
Local priest Father Jorge Gandur says he believes it’s blood from one of the head wounds Jesus suffered from his crown of thorns but wants to test its authenticity to be sure.
“As a priest, at no time have I wished to create false expectations. I am not going to support deceit. Something happened here that divine wisdom will explain in time… If this is something wrought by God, it will have continuity, and if it is of men, it will disappear.”
When media outlets broke the news, thousands stormed the church to see the phenomenon for the themselves and began praying and crying in the streets leading to the cathedral’s entrance.
The Roman Catholic church has not spoken out on the “blood” claims and is no stranger to false reports of religious experiences.
In 2007 the church dismissed claims of a woman who said the Virgin Mary was appearing and talking to her in her backyard.
Before that a statue of a priest was said to be “crying blood” that turned out to be blood planted by a local woman.
The substance found in Argentina will be taken to a lab for testing.
