Virgin Mary statue is 'WEEPING' olive oil: New Mexico church investigates after congregation noticed scented 'tears' coming from its eyes

  • A sample of fluid was taken from the statue, located at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hobbs, and sent for a chemical analysis 
  • The church is investigating to determine whether the oil coming from the hollow statue happened because of natural causes 
  • Visitors have flocked to the church, since news of the phenomenon broke in May
  • Church officials checked the inside of the statue to see if the weeping could have resulted from a manufacturing issue 
  • Hoping that the phenomenon has supernatural origins, the church will see what the 'fruits' of the weeping has shown for visitors of the statue

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: | Updated:

A New Mexico church is investigating after they found a 'weeping' Virgin Mary statue was leaking olive oil.

A sample of fluid was taken from the statue, located at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hobbs, and sent for a chemical analysis. 

'And we determined it was olive oil, a scented olive oil,' Bishop Oscar Cantú told the Las Cruces Sun News.

A sample of fluid was taken from the statue, located at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hobbs, and sent for a chemical analysis

A sample of fluid was taken from the statue, located at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hobbs, and sent for a chemical analysis

The church is investigating to determine whether the oil coming from the hallow statue happened because of natural causes

The church is investigating to determine whether the oil coming from the hallow statue happened because of natural causes

Video Courtesy: Hobbs Sun News

'Some of the witnesses claimed it smelled of roses, so something similar to the oil I bless and consecrate each year that we use for baptism, for confirmations and for ordination of the priests.'

The church is investigating to determine whether the oil coming from the hollow statue is being secreted naturally.

Church leaders also looked into the possibility that something from the inside of the statue was causing the leak. 

'We examined the interior of the hollow statue,' Cantú added. 'There's nothing on the interior that's not supposed to be there, except for cobwebs. So we took pictures; we examined it.'  

Church officials looked to the Mexican manufacturers to see if there was any fluid that could have lingered from the building process. Wax was found to be used in the process but is 'so hot that all of the wax melts away,' Cantú asserted.

Church officials looked to the Mexican manufacturers to see if there was any fluid that could have lingered from the building process. Wax was found to be used in the process but is 'so hot that all of the wax melts away'. The outside of the church is pictured 

Church officials looked to the Mexican manufacturers to see if there was any fluid that could have lingered from the building process. Wax was found to be used in the process but is 'so hot that all of the wax melts away'. The outside of the church is pictured 

He said: 'In that process, they assured us there would be no possibility of any moisture to remain in the bronze. So those are some of the facts that we have established.' 

'But even if it were (a hoax), we are not sure how it would be done, physically,'  Bishop Oscar Cantú said. 'Because it is hardened bronze. We've examined the interior, and there's nothing on the interior.'

'But even if it were (a hoax), we are not sure how it would be done, physically,'  Bishop Oscar Cantú said. 'Because it is hardened bronze. We've examined the interior, and there's nothing on the interior.'

Visitors have flocked to the church, since news of the phenomenon first broke in May. 

And many wonder if the tears could have possibly been part of a hoax. 

'But even if it were (a hoax), we are not sure how it would be done, physically,' he said. 'Because it is hardened bronze. We've examined the interior, and there's nothing on the interior.' 

Hoping that the tears are supernatural, Cantú said that the church will determine whether or not the sign is a good one or an evil one. 

They will do this by looking at the 'fruits' of the occurrence and whether people have reported good things since seeing the tears. 

Hoping that the tears are supernatural, Cantú said that the church will determine whether or not the sign is a good one or an evil one. They will do this by looking at the 'fruits' of the occurrence and whether people have reported good things since seeing the tears

Hoping that the tears are supernatural, Cantú said that the church will determine whether or not the sign is a good one or an evil one. They will do this by looking at the 'fruits' of the occurrence and whether people have reported good things since seeing the tears

'I've read most of those written testimonies, and they are stories of tremendous faith, people who have been dealing with terrible suffering in their lives and have felt a tremendous spiritual consolation that Mary walks with us in our tears,' he said. 

'I can't help but think of my own shedding of tears for the poor people who come to our border, fleeing life-threatening situations. The tears of those children who are separated from their parents. There are many reasons we would shed tears, and God stands with us in those moments.'   

Cantú was reassigned to a different diocese in California, last week. 

He hopes to take a trip to Hobbs to look over the sculpture before his last day at the southern New Mexico diocese on September 28. 

Most watched News videos

Comments 203

Share what you think

  View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

  View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.