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Virgin Mary in Miracle Tree Stump
Northern California is known for its amazing trees -- the giant redwoods and mysterious strandoid mutants along the Avenue of the Giants. So few were surprised during the holidays when a striking new breed of tree was discovered near San Francisco -- a tree that bears an image that some say looks like the Virgin Mary.
Reports trickled into Roadside America the week before Christmas, as local news picked up the story about the miracle in Colma, just south of San Francisco. Our team flew out to investigate. Colma, known as the " City of Repose," has 20,000 residents, but only 500 of them are alive. It's San Francisco's official cemetery city, home to the graves of Wyatt Earp, Emperor Norton and other bay area dead people.
After entering Olivet Cemetery's main gates, we notice parked cars and a small crowd congregating in the rear of the grounds -- it's the miracle tree! A Greek Orthodox priest stands near a cluster of flowers and candles. A few dozen people pray or stare at a gnarly crevasse at the base of the tree [29k jpeg]. It is quiet, like a church. The priest looks on, his brow furrowed, as a few seek his counsel. An onlooker whispers to us that the image is a Madonna and Child, and is brand new -- the" other one has been around for over a week."
Other one?
Turns out we are gazing at a second Virgin-Mary-in-the-tree apparition, discovered later by the faithful after they fanned out over the obviously sacred real estate. It's an overflow miracle of sorts. We hop back in the car and head for the earlier sighting, noticing lone devotees standing between rows of tombstones, staring reverently at other trees...
In the southwest corner of the cemetery, a much larger crowd radiates from the base of an arboreal giant. About 20 feet off the ground, a branch stump seeping sap has taken on the image of the Virgin Mary. Scores of votive candles are clustered around the base, along with other offerings: a loaf of bread on a low table, personal messages tacked to the trunk. A crowd of sixty, mostly Hispanic, stand gazing at the image -- some pray or clutch flowers, others shoot video or photos. Families clamber to the back of the tree, attaching ribbons and religious items. A daring teen uses his car keys to pry loose souvenir bark. Colma is a town aglow.
[01/11/1998]Olivet Memorial Park
- Address:
- 1601 Hillside Blvd, Colma, CA
- Directions:
- Olivet Memorial Park. The tree itself is easily visible on the northeast corner of Hillside Blvd and Hoffman St.
- Hours:
- Cemetery gated after hours. Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Officially called the Mariam Mother of Life Shrine. Completed in 2003. Made of stone from Lebanon, the property was a Lebanese Catholic church.
Roadsideamerica.com Report...
St. Ephrem Marionite Catholic Church
- Address:
- 750 Medford St., El Cajon, CA
- Directions:
- Pull into the parking lot and bear left. Statue is at the back end of the lot.
- Phone:
- 619-997-6924
- Admission:
- Free
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
The mother of Christ stands on a knoll next to a busy highway, centerpiece of Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church. On a Sunday, the surrounding lawn and shrine may be crowded with worshippers and families posing next to Mary's huge metal toes.
Note: The parking is marked as restricted to church members and as a tow-away zone, so if you don't ask permission first, leaving your car unattended is at your own risk!
[RoadsideAmerica.com Team, 06/07/2011]32-Foot-Tall Steel Mary:- Address:
- 2800 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, CA
- Directions:
- In front of Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church.
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
Towering metal Mary and Jesus, wooden Last Supper, and the Lord created from burlap bags. Sacred Art from household materials!
Roadsideamerica.com Report...
- Address:
- 2509 33rd St., Sioux City, IA
- Directions:
- I-29 exit 147A. Head north on Floyd Blvd for three miles, then turn left onto 33rd St. Trinity Heights is just up the street, on the right.
- Hours:
- Grounds daily 7am-dusk; gift shop M-Sa 10-4, Su 12-4. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 712-239-8670
- Admission:
- Free.
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
- Sioux City, Iowa - Aluminum Virgin Mary
We saw a giant [stainless steel] statue of the Virgin Maryon a hilltop in Sioux City. It is apparently part of a new religious center that purports to house a life-size replica of the Last Supper. We were chicken to go in and see it, however, since all we saw entering were little blue-haired ladies. There was quite a bit of construction going on and more attractions are promised at the site. The giant statue looks very cheaply done.
[Marsha, 04/18/1998]
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The two-ton, 30-foot tall statue is "Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Peace." Erected on December 16, 1992, after years of prayer and donation that started in the early 80s. Every day a group of the faithful would gather at the site (before they owned it), and pray the Rosary. Miraculous happenings allowed them to purchase the land at a fraction of its true value. In 1991, they were just about to begin praying when they heard of the United Airlines plane that would be coming in for a crash landing in Sioux FCity. They believe their pre-emptive praying helped -- of 296 passengers, only 112 died. The Trinity Heights plan called for a large wood sculpture of The Last Supper, and a statue of Jesus placed on a hill west of Mary. We have a booklet on file outlining ways to help the Queen of Peace project: You can sponsor a prayer station bench, add a memorial plaque, or name an evergreen tree.