Posted on 5/8/2005, 2:55:40 AM by kingattax
CHICAGO (AP) - A stain on the wall of an expressway underpass that some believe resembles the Virgin Mary is again attracting visitors after two car wash employees cleaned graffiti and brown paint off the image.
Rosa Diaz and Anna Reczek used a degreaser to clean the wall Friday on their lunch break.
Onlookers said they again could see the Virgin Mary. The Illinois Department of Transportation has said the stain was likely the result of salt runoff on the emergency turnoff area under the Kennedy Expressway.
A man had scrawled the words "Big Lie" in shoe polish on the image Thursday night, and authorities charged Victor Gonzalez of Chicago with criminal damage to state-supported property, a misdemeanor.
Gonzalez, 37, told relatives he believed visitors were worshipping a graven image in violation of the Second Commandment, said Mandy Gonzalez, who identified herself as Gonzalez's niece.
On Friday, Chicago police directed transportation workers to paint over the image with brown paint for safety reasons.
Hundreds of people have flocked to the underpass since last month to see the image. Some leave devotional candles, take snapshots or kneel in prayer before the wall. Others approach the image, touch it and make the sign of the cross.
Flowers and candles left by faithful are seen behind a police line where authorities painted over a stain in an underpass on a Chicago expressway that some believed was an image of the Virgin Mary. Authorities painted over the stain and charged Victor Gonzalez of Chicago for allegedly scrawling "Big Lie" over the image. The stain was likely the result of salt runoff, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
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For ANY other religion - it would have been a hate crime. Does anyone else see the "image" as kinda like, ummm, errr a male private part and jewish to boot (ie - cut)?
Worshiping a stain. Unbelievable.
It's quite silly, and it doesn't inspire faith, rather it devalues true faith.
( '_' )
I see nothing.
The artist's name was Heyzooz Saabayz or (in Spanish) Jesus Saves.
What?
What'ryou ... crazy?
You can't see an Hispanic family continuing the South American Catholic practice of worshipping an icon?
Hopefully he used a better type of paint than Leonardo did.
Is this sacrilegious ?
No, it's concrete cleaner . . .
:-)
They're worshipping a sewer drain stain.
Whoops, you beat me to it : ) I just got out of the hospital, so I'm not up to full speed just yet.
Whoops! You beat me to it! : ) I just got out of the hopsital, so I'm not up to full speed yet.
If by "icon" you mean "crazy splotch on a wall", well, maybe I can see it.
But Mary? Nadda.
Looks like Marilyn Monroe to me.
Monroe? No way! That's Gloria Swanson if I ever saw her.
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