Flocks of the faithful are flocking to the Eagle Pass Police Department to see a mysterious statue of Christ. Police say the statue of Jesus just came floating down the Rio Grande. The statue is now in the department's evidence room.
"There's a reason for it to be here," Officer Henry Cardona said of the statue. "People come, pray and kneel down."
Border Patrol agents noticed the life-size fiberglass statue of Jesus Christ in late August stuck on a sandbar in the middle of the Rio Grande. Then on August 31, Border Patrol turned it over to the Eagle Pass Police Department because the statue may have been stolen.
Many in the border town's Catholic community have made the trip to see the crucified Christ lacking the cross propped against two doors in the entryway of the evidence room. About 200 pilgrims a week are now coming to the police department to see the mysterious statue.
"We're allowing people to do this," Cardona said.
And that is where the mystery beings. No one seems to know where the statue came from.
"If it was found in the river, and it doesn't look like it was very bruised," Eagle Pass resident Carmen Hernandez said.
Because no one has come forward to claim it and because of its mysterious discovery in the river, the Catholic faithful have embraced the statue as a religious message from God.
Police have examined the statue for clues.
"Other than scratches, it's in fairly good condition," evidence technician Cesar Torres said.
"He's telling us he's alive and he is here with us," Veronica de la Pena, 32, told the San Antonio Express-News. "He's trying to tell us that there is hope."
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"There's a reason for it to be here," Officer Henry Cardona said of the statue. "People come, pray and kneel down."
Border Patrol agents noticed the life-size fiberglass statue of Jesus Christ in late August stuck on a sandbar in the middle of the Rio Grande. Then on August 31, Border Patrol turned it over to the Eagle Pass Police Department because the statue may have been stolen.
Many in the border town's Catholic community have made the trip to see the crucified Christ lacking the cross propped against two doors in the entryway of the evidence room. About 200 pilgrims a week are now coming to the police department to see the mysterious statue.
"We're allowing people to do this," Cardona said.
And that is where the mystery beings. No one seems to know where the statue came from.
"If it was found in the river, and it doesn't look like it was very bruised," Eagle Pass resident Carmen Hernandez said.
Because no one has come forward to claim it and because of its mysterious discovery in the river, the Catholic faithful have embraced the statue as a religious message from God.
Police have examined the statue for clues.
"Other than scratches, it's in fairly good condition," evidence technician Cesar Torres said.
"He's telling us he's alive and he is here with us," Veronica de la Pena, 32, told the San Antonio Express-News. "He's trying to tell us that there is hope."
Full Story