Italian 'mystic' may face trial after DNA match with blood on Virgin Mary statue

[Cattledog]

A self-styled mystic who drew hundreds of pilgrims to a town near Rome by claiming that a statue of the Virgin Mary wept tears of blood could face trial after a DNA test indicated the blood was hers.

Gisella Cardia, who also claimed that the statue was transmitting messages to her, was last year declared a “fraud” by the Roman Catholic church, which subsequently tightened its rules on supernatural phenomena.

Prosecutors in the port city of Civitavecchia opened their own fraud investigation into Cardia in 2023 after a private investigator claimed the blood on the statue, which at the time was placed in a glass case on a hill in Trevignano Romano, a town overlooking Lake Bracciano, near Rome, had come from a pig.

Some people alleged they were defrauded by Cardia, who created a foundation to collect donations that she said would go towards setting up a centre for sick children.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/14/italian-mystic-may-face-trial-after-dna-match-with-bleeding-virgin-mary-statue?CMP=bsky_gu

[EYESORE 9001]

1. Spurious miracle, I must say

It still astounds that people fall for the wiles of religious charlatans.

[Archae]

2. It doesn't matter what religion it is.

In fact, I think religion is the oldest con job.

The worst to me, in the Christian camp, are those "prosperity preachers."

"Send me your money and God will make you rich!"

And the only ones that do get rich are the preacher and his/her cronies.

And one of those, Paula White, is now in charge of the White House faith office.