Some churchgoers in Sydney, Australia believe they may have witnessed a miracle as a painting of the Virgin Mary appears to pray with the congregation.
The painting of Mary carrying Jesus is a feature of Saint Charbel’s Church and hangs above the altar. Two parishioners have noticed that Mary’s lips often seem to move during prayer.
They have both recorded a video of the painting on mobile phones as the congregation were saying the Lord’s Prayer.
Kirsten Keirouz uploaded the footage on to her Facebook page. She said that her friend had nudged her and told her to look at the painting.
She said: “Once I looked up, I had no idea what they wanted me to look at and I saw her [the Virgin Mary] mouth moving. I then asked my friend: ‘Is it her mouth?’ She replied: ‘Yes.’ And then I got the shivers throughout my whole body. I couldn’t believe my eyes, I kept blinking in case I was seeing things.”
Not everyone is convinced. Many people who saw the video on social media have said that the church lighting, the movement of the camera and the possibility that people are tricking their brains, having been told to look for lip movements, have contributed to an illusion.
However, Kirsten says: “I believe it was a miracle, and not just lighting because we all saw it at the same time and because her lips would start moving and then stop and start again.”
Another parishioner George Akary also noticed Mary’s lips appear to move and filmed the painting during prayer.
He said: “This is something I had seen a few times. This time I recorded it. I never thought to record it until I saw a clip a few weeks ago. These signs are to bring people to know God is really with us.”
However Father Superior Joseph Sleiman from Saint Charbel’s church said: “I do not consider this to be a miracle, but I still encourage personal reflection and spirituality.”
Take a look for yourself below.