Australian church investigates weeping statue

Sydney - Several statues of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary in an Australian hall have apparently begun weeping and bleeding rose oil, prompting the Catholic Church to launch an investigation, a church official said on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people have flocked to a Vietnamese community hall near St Mary's Church in the Brisbane suburb of Inala after news spread that several statues, crucifixes, tablecloths and a set of prayer beads were oozing rose-scented oil.

"It's one of those matters where you proceed prudently," said Father Adrian Farrelly, who has been appointed by the church to investigate the incident.

The objects, which reportedly began bleeding and weeping a week ago, have been placed behind glass in the hall until investigators can examine them.

"It looks genuine enough, but then I suppose I don't know what a fake one looks like," visitor Mark Power told Brisbane's Courier-Mail newspaper on Tuesday. "I'd like to believe, but I'll wait and see what the church says."