Woman Behind ‘Bleeding Mary’ Statue Welcomes Fraud Trial

An Italian woman who claimed that a statue of the Virgin Mary shed tears of blood is set to stand trial on fraud charges. Prosecutors allege that Gisella Cardia and her husband, Gianni Cardia, staged false apparitions and issued apocalyptic prophecies to attract pilgrims and collect large sums in donations in the town of Trevignano Romano, near Rome.

According to investigators, Cardia told followers that the statue had warned her of earthquakes that would devastate Rome and of communists attempting to take over the Catholic Church. She also reportedly claimed the statue could multiply food, drawing comparisons to biblical miracles.

Authorities say the couple received around $423,000 in donations from believers, many of whom thought their contributions would support sick children.

Doubts about the supposed miracles grew after a private investigator determined that the blood found on the statue—purchased by Cardia in 2016 from a Bosnian pilgrimage site—came from a pig. Prosecutors later ordered a DNA test, which found that the blood actually matched Cardia herself.

Before the investigation concluded, the Catholic Church had already denounced Cardia’s claims as fraudulent. She also has a previous conviction for bankruptcy fraud.

Cardia’s attorney said she welcomes the opportunity to go to trial, insisting it will “reveal the truth of the events with transparency and definitively put an end to all speculation, misunderstanding, and controversy.”

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