Visitors flock to see ‘crying’ statue of Mother Mary in Sabah

Awestruck: Visitors offering prayers and taking pictures of the statue of Mother Mary which has been shedding tears (inset).

KOTA KINABALU: A statue of Mother Mary that is said to be shedding tears has been drawing visitors to a house at Kampung Mahandoi in Penampang here.

The statue began shedding droplets on Monday evening, said house owner Michael George, 52.

He said his youngest son Melvin, 14, was the first to notice the droplets on the statue at about 5pm that day.

“I didn’t believe it at first until I actually saw the tears. I was astonished as I never expected anything like this.

“I felt it was something miraculous,” said Michael.

He said the droplets also appeared on the statue at about 10am yesterday.

The statue of Mother Mary that is said to be shedding "tears."

His sister-in-law, he said, bought the statue during a trip to the Philippines a year ago and it was kept in her house as his own place was being renovated then.

“It was only recently that we brought the statue to the house and had it blessed by Archbishop John Wong (the head of the Sabah Catholic church in Sabah) when he celebrated mass at the Our Lady Queen of Peace Church at Kampung Kobusak on Sunday,” Michael said.

A stream of visitors headed to Michael’s house when word spread on WhatsApp and other social media about the 33cm statue.

Michael said at least 100 people have visited daily for rosary prayers before the statue.

Sacred Heart Cathedral assistant parish priest Father Jefferi Gumu said the church was aware of the statue shedding tears and priests were assessing the situation.

“We will ask the owner to consider keeping it in a nearby church where it could be viewed and assessed as well,” he said.