By

Michelle Castillo /

CBS News/ July 13, 2012, 3:08 PM

Our Lady of Guadalupe image appears in New Jersey tree trunk?

The image appeared in the tree after a man was killed in the West New York, N.J. area from a car crash.

The image appeared in the tree after a man was killed in the West New York, N.J. area from a car crash. / CBS New York

(CBS News) WEST NEW YORK, N.J. - Some are claiming that a mysterious indentation in a tree in West New York may actually be the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary.

Crowds gathering to see the sight - which is supposedly is similar to the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe - have grown so large that police have cordoned off the street to protect visitors. The slender tree has now been adorned with flowers, candles and flags from Mexico, whose citizens especially revere this icon of the Virgin Mary.

"Most of the people believe it's a miracle," Eva Copantitla told the New Jersey Journal.

The image was first spotted by Copantitla on Tuesday, and she immediately told West New York mayor Dr. Felix Roque. Roque, who is facing a federal indictment for allegedly hacking into his rivals' computers, told CBS New York the tree was providing him solace.

"I am going through trouble, it is what it is," Roque said. "But I am glad I believe in God."

The image appeared after a Mexican man had been killed in a car crash in the area.

But, local priests are skeptical that the tree indentation is a divine message. Newark archdiocese spokesman Jim Goodness called it "just some discoloration that resembles Our Lady of Guadalupe" to the New Jersey Journal. The Archdiocese added to CBS New York that priests at local churches are ready to council people, but they don't think this is anything more than a phenomenon.

"But if it helps people to be stronger in their faith, then it is a good thing," Goodness said. "I think it's more natural to try to encounter God in church, not by expressing your faith to a tree."

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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yelobrikroad says:
I think somebody has been hitting the tequila a bit hard. Virgin Mary??? Really?? It looks like a tree to me. This is one reason I never understood the Catholics. Idol this, VM here, there, on my toast now it is in a tree. Good grief! These people that make shrines of a piece of wood are just too silly. Maybe if they had jobs they wouldn't have time to make this crap up. I say this is a bunch of rubbish and as usual CBS News finds it newsworthy. Sad "news" organization.
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Walter L. Johnson says:
My wife is an icon artist (who is asleep) and I strongly doubt she would interprete this scar on a tree (probably from either being injuried in one accident or another) or forced into the tree by someone who is mourning the driver who was killed and wanted some form of tribute.

An actual icon takes far more work than using tools to damage a tree. My wife has spent up to one year writing (painting) one icon, although she keeps more than one in progress.

Maybe even the tree's owner did the damage hoping someone would want to buy the tree and remove it to an exhibit or just because he or she was bored. Removing trees anywhere near homes when they are this large can cost as much as $1,500. Part of that expense is the liability insurance that is needed in case the tree falls on a home or vehicle and the company doing removal has to pay damages.
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FormerUSMCSergeant says:
by Molly-Pchr July 13, 2012 11:03 PM EDT
cbs put this ridiculous article here to get the God haters to bring on their attacks.
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Rejecting something as fairy tale has nothing to do with hatred.

It's all about logic, reason, and common sense as opposed to self-delusion.
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FormerUSMCSergeant says:
by rheola-2009 July 14, 2012 1:16 AM EDT
Molly-Pchr

As you appear very adamant, you will then have no problem providing evidence of my comment not being true.
That is of course without using meaningless hypothesis.

My evidence, the Gospels.
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What a stupid comment.

One can never prove a negative, only a positive.

For example, if I ask you to prove you're not a child molester, you can't.

You believe that invisible beings live in invisible places and ask others to prove it's not true.

Says a lot about where your head is.
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rheola-2009 replies:
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FormerUSMCSergeant

What are you on about, read my comment properly, particuarly in context with my previous on this same board.
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BigMykul says:
Maybe wants a guest shot on THE JERSEY SHORE.
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knewsteerrrrr says:
"be the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary. "

Go AWAY ****, we don't need or want you here!!
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themanfrombrum says:
How ridiculous! If this is journalism, well CBS you doing a pretty bad job.
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Molly-Pchr replies:
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cbs put this ridiculous article here to get the God haters to bring on their attacks. Don't you get it? You all take the bait, and you're worse than people that think the image on the tree is miraculous, and maybe worse than people who believe in happy accidents, i.e., evolution! Now that's a fairy tale.
rheola-2009 replies:
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Molly-Pchr

As you appear very adamant, you will then have no problem providing evidence of my comment not being true.
That is of course without using meaningless hypothesis.

My evidence, the Gospels.

Pleaase do not do as many others do, and that is just fail to reply when you find you can not supply any evidence without resorting to hypothesis.

Further there is a massive amount of evidence of an Evolutonary process, there is absolutely none with respect to a creation theory.
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FormerUSMCSergeant says:
"Most of the people believe it's a miracle," Eva Copantitla told the New Jersey Journal.

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Hilarious.
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rheola-2009 replies:
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Molly-Pchr

As you appear very adamant, you will then have no problem providing evidence of my comment not being true.
That is of course without using meaningless hypothesis.

My evidence, the Gospels.

Pleaase do not do as many others do, and that is just fail to reply when you find you can not supply any evidence without resorting to hypothesis,
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rheola-2009 says:
Another perfect example of the gullibility of the religous.

The so called virgin birth bit was not even thought of until 80 years after the so called virgin birth, great move, well researched, the gullible multitudes fell for it.
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knewsteerrrrr replies:
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lol yep!
Molly-Pchr replies:
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wrong
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realtimecoffee says:
How can they tell who it is when she is wearing a burka?
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