Take a close look below at the five images of the Crucified Christ. They are photographs taken of the Tyrolean Cross that stands at the top of Apparition Hill, close to Our Lady’s statue.
The first two images (A) (E) clearly show distinctive brown/red markings on the right side of the face of Jesus. I once heard pilgrims refer to these markings as indications of blood. They are not part of the wood grain. So what are they? The pictures were taken in May 2004.
Move on four years to February 2007 and in the “flashed” photograph (B) the stains are even more pronounced.
But two years later, in September 2009 (C), the markings seem to be absent. There is a suggestion of the “stain” that was once on the cheek bone, but the rest of the heavy discolouration that started at the eyebrow is no longer there.
Finally, the fourth photograph (D) was taken in March 2003 and shows none of the markings that appear in the photograph taken just over a year later in May 2004.
Are the blemishes applied by human hand, perhaps wood stain, or preservative? Are they weather stains, maybe produced by rain dripping from the canopy above? Or is there a more wondrous cause?
• The crucifix was donated by Austrian pilgrims from the Tyrol.
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| A • MAY 2003... distinctive marks on face. © Bernard Gallagher |
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| E • MAY 2004... Side elevation showing the markings. © Bernard Gallagher |
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| B • FEBRUARY 2007... marks even more prominent. © Bernard Gallagher |
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| C • SEPTEMBER 2009... marks have almost disappeared. © Bernard Gallagher |
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| D • MARCH 2003... before the marks appeared. © Bernard Gallagher |
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| A • MAY 2003... close-up of distinctive marks on face. © Bernard Gallagher |
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| C • SEPTEMBER 2009... marks have almost disappeared. © Bernard Gallagher |
