On Saturday, October 29, 2005, a boy selling lottery tickets claimed he saw a tear on the face of the Virgin Mary which stands in front of Ho Chi Minh City’s Catholic church.


This is a smaller crowd than the original 1000+
that gathered on the first weekend.


By the time I went on Monday, November 7th, no tear could be seen.


But was that crack on Mary’s right cheek caused by the tear?

Speaking for the city diocese at Sunday mass at Notre Dame, Father Huynh Cong Minh suggested the tears were rain streaks on the dusty statue and warned that “bad elements” were trying to exploit religious fervour.

All I can say is: when I gazed upon this serenely beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary, I felt peace.