February 18, 2003 As reported in BBC News - Written by Alastair Lawson, BBC correspondent in Dhaka. Thousands of people in the Bangladeshi port city of Chittagong are flocking to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Roman Catholic church where tears are reported to have been seen on a statue of the Virgin Mary. Many of those visiting the church are Muslims, eager to see what some locals believe is a sign of the Virgin's dismay over the recent outbreak of violence in the country and elsewhere in the world. Roman Catholic believers say it is the first time in Bangladesh that tears have been seen on a statue of the Virgin Mary.

In a country which is overwhelmingly Muslim, it is unusual for a symbol of the Christian faith to attract much interest. But so many people are gathering outside the Chittagong church that police have been deployed to ensure law and order is maintained. 'Inquisitive' Muslims are queuing to see the statue even though the Koran warns believers against showing an interest in religious idols. Roman Catholics in Chittagong say that most people are queuing up to see the statue because they are inquisitive.

Around 90% of Bangladesh's 130 million population is Muslim. In Chittagong, the second-largest city in the country, there are only around 8,000 Christians in a city of over four million people. Many churchgoers claim the cause of the Virgin Mary's tears is recent outbreaks of violence in Bangladesh. They point out that she has had a lot to be upset about in the last week alone. On Monday, five people were gunned down in local election violence in the south-western district of Jhenida and, before that, there were a series of bomb explosions in the northern town of Dinajpur.

Update: March 27, 2003 - Reports that the statue of Our Lady weeping, also eyes move.

Most of the pictures in this site were taken on the following day and the day after. But still some tears in her eyes and cheek can be seen. Another surprising changes were also seen that this Marble Stone Statue eyes became red like a normal person's eyes as if they are crying for a long time.

A little child visited the shrine on the same night with his parents said, the Our Lady starred at him and that time he saw some movements of her lips as if she wants to express something. A few visitors of other religion also claim that they received prompt recovery from illness by visiting the shrine.

The statue eyes blinked for more than 10 times, which was later discovered in a 20 Minute video which was captured by a visitor with camcorder on the same night. In that video it was clearly seen that the eyes of statue blinking and waters draining not only from her eyes also from her nose and lips corner as if a person is crying for a long.

Address - Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Cathedral
Bandel Road, Patharghata, P.O. Box-152, Chittagong-4000, Bangladesh

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