On the grounds of the St. Mary Catholic Church in Griffith, Indiana is a statue of the Virgin Mary. At first glimpse, this statue does not appear any different than others like it on display at Catholic churches in the area, but a closer look reveals something oddly fascinating: the statue appears to be crying.

However, while some people believe the crying statue is some sort of religious stigmata others, including the church's pastor, are skeptical. "There must be a natural explanation — the cold, the melting of the snow," said Reverend Theodore Mens. "Whenever we see something, we always look for a natural reason first."

The 4-foot tall white statute stands along the churches “sunken garden” off Broad Street. Reverend Mens says it has been on St. Mary’s property for at least 21 years. The controversial tear stain was first noticed earlier this week by a fourth grader. A photo of the statute shows a droplet of water dripping off the chin that appears to have originated from the eye.

We have looked at the photos and there is no doubt the statue appears to be crying. Is it real? What do you think? Check out the photos from the NW Times by clicking here.

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