Forensic Evidence Unmasks ‘Weeping’ Virgin Mary Statue as Fraud in Italy

The long-standing mystery of the Virgin Mary statue in Italy that reportedly ‘wept tears of blood’ has taken a new turn as forensic evidence sheds light on the shocking truth behind the phenomenon.

In 2016, Gisella Cardia, a woman claiming to receive divine revelations, alleged that the Madonna di Trevignano was crying blood. This claim attracted thousands of believers who sought its blessings and contributed tens of thousands of dollars in donations. However, authorities grew suspicious, leading prosecutors in the port city of Civitavecchia to open a fraud investigation in 2023.

Swab tests were conducted on the blood-stained porcelain cheeks of the statue, amid speculation that the substance might be pig’s blood. Last week, forensic results revealed that the blood matched Cardia’s genetic profile. While this finding suggests the blood originated from her, Cardia’s lawyer, Solange Marchignoli, maintained that further analysis is required to determine whether the DNA is single-profile or mixed.

“If the profile is single, it means that it is only Cardia’s and she put it there, so in this case, we would go to trial,” Marchignoli told Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera. “But if, as expected, the profile is mixed, it means that the DNA found on the statue also contains Cardia’s DNA, which we expect because she used, kissed, and handled it.”

Following the revelations, Cardia has reportedly left her home in Trevignano, and even her lawyer is unaware of her whereabouts. Previously convicted of bank fraud, Cardia had organized monthly visitations for the faithful to witness the ‘miracle,’ placing the small statue inside a large blue case positioned in front of a larger statue of Mary.

Doubt over the authenticity of the bleeding Madonna emerged in 2022 when skeptical locals from Trevignano Romano enlisted a private investigator. The investigator later met with Italian military police, presenting evidence that the red liquid on the statue’s eyes was likely pig’s blood. The skepticism culminated in 2023 when the Catholic Church officially deemed the ‘miracle’ a fabrication. The Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, following a report by the Diocese of Civita Castellana, concluded that there was no supernatural basis for the claims.

The decree stated: “It is clear that it is not supernatural. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mother of the Church and our Mother, restore peace and serenity in view of the spiritual good of the faithful of the parish of Trevignano Romano and of the people of God who are throughout the Diocese of Civita Castellana.”

The forensic test was conducted by Emiliano Giardina, a geneticist known for his work on a high-profile Italian murder case in 2010. Marchignoli has since pushed back against public assumptions, urging caution in interpreting the DNA findings.

“Anyone who takes it for granted that the DNA found on the statue of the Madonna corresponds to that of Gisella Cardia is seriously mistaken,” she stated. “I invite everyone to be cautious—because, on the contrary, extremes of a crime would be detected—and I await the official outcome of the expert report, hoping that it will be favorable to our defense.”