A Christian monastery has caused an online stir by posting photos of its statue of the Virgin Mary apparently weeping blood.

The Mosteiro Rosa Mistica (Rosa Mystica Monastery) in the Brazilian city of Teresina took to Instagram to post a series of photographs of its statue of the Virgin Mary allegedly weeping blood on 5th June.

The monastery wrote to its over 2,000 followers: “The image of the Rosa Mystica shed tears of blood again on the morning of the Feast of Corpus Christi.”

The photos show what appears to be blood having streamed down from the statue’s ‘eyes’, staining both the sculpture and the material at its base.

According to the faithful at the monastery, it is not the first time the statue of the Rosa Mystica has wept blood; it has allegedly done so on two previous occasions, in 2006 and 2015.

The monastery took to Instagram again to post photos of the glass-encased statue of the Rosa Mystica – a poetic title of Mary found in the Litany of Loreto – on 13th June.

The religious institution wrote: “O, Jesus! Look at the bloody tears of the one who loved You most in the world and loves You most infinitely in Heaven!”

Devout Christians have been commenting on the monastery’s posts. Instagram user Fabia Medeiros wrote: “Pray for us, Holy Mother of God, that we may be worthy of Christ’s promises. Amen.”

Other commenters suggested the statue had cried blood because the Corpus Christi processions had to be cancelled for the second consecutive year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Other netizens expressed their scepticism, however, with Jose Rodrigues commenting: “I very much doubt that they have made a statement to the Holy Church in Rome.”

Jane Santos commented: “I believe in Our Lady. But I ask, is it true?”