The enigma surrounding the Virgin Mary statue in Italy, said to “weep tears of blood,” has now been resolved.
In 2016, Gisella Cardia claimed the Madonna di Trevignano was shedding tears of blood and providing her with divine messages. Believers flocked to the site, donating tens of thousands of dollars. However, in 2023, prosecutors in Civitavecchia launched a fraud investigation, ordering swab tests on the statue’s blood-stained porcelain face, previously suspected to be pig’s blood.
Recent lab tests revealed the blood matched Cardia’s genetic profile. Yet her lawyer, Solange Marchignoli, stressed the importance of determining whether the profile was single or mixed. “If it’s a single profile, it means Cardia placed it there, and we would proceed to trial. If mixed, it could indicate the DNA transfer occurred through handling,” Marchignoli told Corriere della Sera.
Cardia, previously convicted of bank fraud, has since left her Trevignano home, and even her lawyer is unaware of her location. She reportedly arranged monthly visits to see the statue and kept it inside a large blue case in front of a giant Virgin Mary statue.
In 2022, skeptical locals from Trevignano Romano hired a private investigator, who presented evidence to Italian authorities suggesting the blood was pig’s blood.
Last year, the Catholic Church declared the “miracle” a hoax. The Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith referred to a Diocese of Civita Castellana investigation, which found no supernatural basis for the claims.
The Church’s decree read: “It is clear that it is not supernatural. May the Blessed Virgin Mary bring peace and spiritual good to the parish and the people of God in Civita Castellana.”
The lab analysis was conducted by forensic geneticist Emiliano Giardina, known for his work on a high-profile 2010 murder case.
Marchignoli criticized premature conclusions about the DNA match, urging caution and waiting for the full expert report. “Anyone assuming the DNA definitively matches Gisella Cardia is mistaken,” she stated. “We hope the outcome will favor our defense.”
