Mary weeps in Syracuse (1953)

One of the most impressive "Marian lacrimations" took place in Syracuse, Sicily, in 1953. The occurrence took place between August 29 and September 1, in the home of a newly married couple, Angelo Iannuso and Antonina Lucia Giusto. Antonina was pregnant and suffering from toxemia, causing her to convulse at times and experience blindness. At three in the morning on Saturday, August 29, 1953, she had a seizure that left her blind. The next morning she was able to see again, and suddenly noticed that tears were flowing from the eyes of a plaster sculpture of the Immaculate Heart hanging on the wall at the head of their bed. The mysterious weeping happened several times over a period of four days and witnessed by many people. The tears were collected for scientific examination and the lacrimation was filmed. Faced with the inexplicable evidence, the Church quickly recognized the event as miraculous.

Sanctuary of the Virgin of Tears, Syracuse /© CC BY-SA 3.0/Salvo Cannizzaro

Reasons to believe:

The flowing of tears happened 58 different times over four days.

Many witnesses were present during the lacrimation.

Miraculous healings occurred around the weeping plaster statue.

After a detailed analysis of the liquid coming from the plaster statue, collected with a sterilized pipette, scientists concluded that "the appearance, the alkalinity and the composition induce one to consider the the liquid examined analogous to human tears".

The plaque in Angelo and Antonia's bedroom was not a unique and special piece: it was mass-produced in Tuscany and sent to Syracuse for retail in an average store. The plaque was examined carefully to make sure there was no device inside: it had a smooth finish with no pores or irregularities on the surface. The backing was removed and the unfinished gypsum was examined and found to be dry. Six coats of nitrocellulose colors were counted on the plaque; these were covered with varnish.

Pope Pius XII proclaimed the authenticity of the miracle a few months later after a rigorous investigation had taken place.

Subsequent popes, especially Saint John Paul II and Pope Francis, have mentioned the tears of Our Lady of Syracuse as a being a spiritual sign given by God to suffering humanity.

Summary:

"Marian lacrimations" are a mysterious phenomenon that has happened on several occasions in history with Catholic images, for example the statue of the Virgin of Cléry, so dear to King Louis XI that he was buried beside it; and the statue of the Virgin of Akita in Japan in 1973.

In 1953, at number 11 Via degli orti di San Giorgio, in Syracuse, Sicily, a young married couple, Angelo Iannuso and Antonina Lucia Giusto, were expecting their first child. Antonina was having a difficult pregnancy (toxemia), which gave her temporary blindness. At around 3 am on August 29, she convulsed and lost her sight completely, before regaining it at around 8am. At this point, she noticed that the plaster statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a gift they had received at their recent wedding, was crying tears that looked human. The news spread quickly through the town. Neighbors and many other people came in great numbers to see the phenomenon, which was repeated 58 times over the next three days.

The Church greeted the news with caution. The parish priest, Don Giuseppe Bruno, obtained permission from his bishop to have a scientific assessment carried out. The commission, made up of various scientists from the province's hygiene and prophylaxis laboratory, including a notorious atheist, took a cubic centimetre of the liquid that was "leaking". The results were soon indisputable: it was indeed human fluid.

The plaque and its backing were examined. The part of the Virgin's effigy that was apparently covered in enamel was removed from the black glass used to support it, and examined. It was found to be approximately 1 to 2 cm thick and completely dry at the time of examination. The commission's report notes that examination of the inner corners of the eyes with a magnifying glass revealed no pores or irregularities in the surface of the enamel, but a sort of swelling of the lower eyelid whenever tears flowed, as shown in the short film in the possession of the Archdiocese of Syracuse. No device was found that could explain the phenomenon, which was declared inexplicable by the Church.

On December 13, Cardinal Ruffini, representing the episcopate of Sicily, recognised the authenticity of the event. Barely a year later, on October 17, 1954, Pope Pius XII, on an apostolic visit to the Italian island, spoke about the phenomenon in striking tone: "Will men understand the mysterious language of Mary's tears?" he asked in a message broadcast on the radio. "Mary is eternally happy in Heaven and suffers no pain or sadness; but this does not mean that she is insensitive. Onthe contrary, she is always nourished by love and pity for the human race, to whom she was given as Mother."

Plans to build a shrine to "Our Lady of Tears" were drawn as early as 1957. Work finally began in 1966, and was completed thirty years later. John Paul II, who elevated it to the status of a minor basilica in 2002, consecrated it on November 6, 1994. In the upper part of the building, near the high altar, is an image of the Virgin Mary shedding tears. A reliquary containing a cloth soaked in the tears shed by the image is kept in the crypt.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the miracle, on August 31, 2003, Saint John Paul II said: "These tears are so mysterious! They speak of pain and tenderness, consolation and divine mercy. They are the sign of a maternal presence and a call to convert to God, abandoning the path of evil to faithfully follow Jesus Christ. Sweet Madonna of Tears, we present to you the Church and the whole world. Look upon those most in need of forgiveness and reconciliation; bring harmony to families and peace between peoples. Wipe away the tears that hatred and violence cause in many parts of the world, especially in the Middle East and on the African continent. May your tears, O Mother, be a pledge of conversion and peace for all your children! "

In May 2018, the reliquary traveled to the Vatican, and Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the presence of the Virgin's tears, in the chapel of Saint Martha's House. On this occasion, he invoked Mary to ask her for the gift of tears: "Let us pray to the Blessed Virgin to give us, and to humanity in need, the gift of tears, that we may weep: for our sins and for the many calamities that make God's people and God's children suffer."

Pilgrims continue to flock there in ever-increasing numbers to console the "Weeping Virgin" and share in her suffering.

Jacques de Guillebon is an essayist and journalist. He is a contributor to the Catholic magazine La Nef.

Going further:

The shrine's official website: madonnadellelacrime.it.

More information:

Domenico Marcuzzi, Santuari mariani d'Italia, Edizioni Paoline, Rome, 1982.
The Life Story of Our Lady of Tears: A Divine Tapestry of Faith, Miracles, and the Enduring Presence of Our Lady by Evan Emily C Hopper, Independently Published, November 2023
Miraculous Images of Our Lady: 100 Famous Catholic Portraits and Statues by Joan Carroll Cruz, TAN Books; First Edition (January 1, 1993)