Crowds flock to see ‘Virgin Mary’ image in a tree

A comparison of the tree trunk pattern and a traditional image of the Virgin Mary. (YouTube Stone/iStock)

Hundreds of visitors are flocking to the small town of Pocboc, Mexico to catch a glimpse of a tree that some believe has been touched by a higher power.

A likeness of the Virgin Mary has been spotted on a tree trunk, which locals believe is nothing short of a Christmas miracle, reports the Daily Mail. Though you may have to squint hard to see, the shape is similar to that of some representations of Jesus’ mother, with a gentle head tilt to the side.

“I have been working here for 18 years and always take this route and I can assure you that the image was not there before,” said Dona Lidia, an elderly villager who first discovered the unusual swirling pattern while out for walk.

“I instantly had to tell my neighbors and when they came the word quickly spread.”

Now visitors have placed candles and flowers at the foot of the tree as hoards of people come to worship at the small image. Though believers claim the likeness “suddenly appeared," skeptics say the pattern is nothing more than pattern of natural tree rings.

“For me it is a miracle. I believe that God sent it to give us his blessing, so there will be an end to suffering,” said Maria del Rosario, another resident of Pocboc.

In November of this year, residents of Polk City, Iowa reportedly witnessed a larger likeness of the Virgin Mary on a tree trunk along the highway.