Tales of Two Weepings: the Uplifting one

[Catherine5]

London Telegraph March 8, 2010
Virgin Mary icon 'crying tears of oil' in France
An image of the Virgin Mary has been crying tears of oil, its owner has claimed, in a story that has drawn hundreds of visitors to the man's home in France.

Garges-les-Gonesse, France -

Esat Altindagoglu has been inundated with more than 50 visitors a day hoping to see the "miracle" at his house near Paris. The one-foot high painting was given to his wife Sevin by a Lebanese priest on her birthday in 2006, the Turkish-born salesman said.

It began weeping oil on February 12 this year, and had been "crying" every day since, he claimed.

He said: "As word spread, people started arriving from France, then from all over Europe.

"I've been having between 50 and 60 people a day turning up for more than three weeks now."

An Orthodox priest had now agreed to say mass at his home in Garges-les-Gonesse this week to thank the Virgin Mary, Mr Altindagoglu said.

He added: "Apparently the next step is to have to weeping witnessed by a bishop so the miracle can be officially recognised by the church."

My speculative reflection is that it's interesting the news of this event in a Turkish Christian family broke the same day as a somewhat major earthquake in Eastern Turkey occurred.
But Feb 12 is the Feast of the Three Hierarchs, which was the day that a purported relic, supposedly the head of St John Chrysostom, went to the MP cathedral in New York for that feast. Most observers would never make such a connection. I do, as perhaps one of many other meanings.

If interested to see a 1 minute film cllip of the Icon, here is the title to help locate the first AFP clip of March 8 on Yahoo Video - in case the link below doesn't work, as often occurs. There may be more extensive video coverage later, but just in case this story gets squashed or overlooked, here is the caption and current link.
[Just to beware, these clips expire after a certain time and may not later turn up in a Yahoo Video search months down the line.]

"Weeping Virgin draws miracle-seekers to Paris suburb"

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749 ... o=18508566

[Anastasios]

It's interesting, I know a few Russians, and a weeping icon seems to elicit awe and spiritual elation, while many of the Greeks I know would have the initial reaction of, "what am I doing wrong, that one of my icons would start crying?"

I'm not saying that one is correct and one is wrong, but I wondered if there is anything written on the topic. I am somewhat ignorant on the subject as I generally avoid focusing too much on the miraculous.

[Kybihetz21]

Whether real or fake (remember Blanco), and whether because of a good or grievous cause, it is nice to see nowadays people pray (there were Roman Catholics there too, I am assuming it is an Orthodox family the one that possesses the icon) and come to the Mother of God for help.

[Anastasios]

Whether real or fake (remember Blanco), and whether because of a good or grievous cause, it is nice to see nowadays people pray (there were Roman Catholics there too, I am assuming it is an Orthodox family the one that possesses the icon) and come to the Mother of God for help.

Yes, very true! The Blanco incident demonstrates how even in an unsavory situation which is fake, pure faith does not go unrewarded!

[jgress]

Whether real or fake (remember Blanco), and whether because of a good or grievous cause, it is nice to see nowadays people pray (there were Roman Catholics there too, I am assuming it is an Orthodox family the one that possesses the icon) and come to the Mother of God for help.

Yes, very true! The Blanco incident demonstrates how even in an unsavory situation which is fake, pure faith does not go unrewarded!

What was the Blanco incident?

[Maria]

An update on the weeping icon in the possession of Muslims in Paris.

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/77720.htm

[Maria]

Whether real or fake (remember Blanco), and whether because of a good or grievous cause, it is nice to see nowadays people pray (there were Roman Catholics there too, I am assuming it is an Orthodox family the one that possesses the icon) and come to the Mother of God for help.

Yes, very true! The Blanco incident demonstrates how even in an unsavory situation which is fake, pure faith does not go unrewarded!

What was the Blanco incident?

The Blanco incident involved fraud where someone dripped scented oil on a modernistic version of an icon of the Theotokos.
Apparently, the icon was never investigated by the local bishop, and the fraud was allowed to continue. This is why the bishop must investigate all cases involving miraculous or wonder-working icons.

Later the abbot (Benedict Green) of Christ of the Hills Monastery was defrocked for criminal behavior, and the brotherhood was dispersed. Unfortunately, Mr. Green committed suicide after his trial and conviction.