Bangladeshis
flock to 'weeping Virgin'
This
statue in Italy was said to weep blood
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| By
Alastair Lawson BBC correspondent in Dhaka |
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Thousands
of people in the Bangladeshi port city of Chittagong are flocking to
a Roman Catholic church where tears are reported to have been seen on
a statue of the Virgin Mary.
 The
marble statue is kept in a glass case which scientists say could
lead to condensation appearing on the Virgin Mary's face |
Many
of those visiting the church are Muslims, eager to see what some
locals believe is a sign of the Virgin's dismay over the recent
outbreak of violence in the country and elsewhere in the world.
Roman
Catholic believers say it is the first time in Bangladesh that tears
have been seen on a statue of the Virgin Mary.
In
a country which is overwhelmingly Muslim, it is unusual for a symbol
of the Christian faith to attract much interest.
But
so many people are gathering outside the Chittagong church that
police have been deployed to ensure law and order is maintained.
'Inquisitive'
Muslims
are queuing to see the statue even though the Koran warns believers
against showing an interest in religious idols.
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Roman
Catholics in Chittagong say that most people are queuing up to see
the statue because they are inquisitive.
Around
90% of Bangladesh's 130 million population is Muslim.
In
Chittagong, the second-largest city in the country, there are only
around 8,000 Christians in a city of over four million people.
Many
churchgoers claim the cause of the Virgin Mary's tears is recent
outbreaks of violence in Bangladesh.
They
point out that she has had a lot to be upset about in the last week
alone.
On
Monday, five people were gunned down in local election violence in
the south-western district of Jhenida and, before that, there were a
series of bomb explosions in the northern town of Dinajpur.
Scientists
have already said that one possible explanation for the tears is the
fact that the marble statue is kept in a glass case, which could lead
to condensation appearing on the Virgin Mary's face.
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