Catholic faithful and churchgoers have been visiting a family residence in Leufisa village on Upolu over the last two weeks to witness what some have described as the “miracle” of a weeping Jesus Christ statue.

The house is the family residence of Catholic layman, Brother Vincent Dominica Rozari of the Order of the Divine Mercy, who was at home on Wednesday when the Samoa Observer visited to ask for an interview and take pictures.

In an interview with this newspaper, Brother Vincent said the first evidence of a statue of Jesus Christ “weeping oil” was noticed on Sunday 23 January, a day after the Government-declared the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown.

“The Government declared the Level 3 lockdown on the 22nd of January 2022 and the very next day the miracle happened, when the holy statue known as the ‘sacred heart of Jesus God's divine love for mankind’ was seen shedding tears,” he said.

Brother Vincent said on Sunday 23 January his 4-year-old niece was instructed to replace the flowers on a holy altar that was built in their home with fresh ones, which was when she noticed the statue of “Jesus crying”.

He said they paid no attention to his niece when she told them that the statue was weeping, believing it to be just child talk.

“We did not believe my 4-year-old niece until I came to replace the candle on the altar that same day, when I noticed that the tablecloth of the altar was soaked in oil, holy oil from the tears of Christ,” Brother Vincent said.

“I immediately ran to the kitchen and got a serving bowl and placed the holy statue of Jesus in it to gather the holy oil from his tears.”

A week after the discovery, Brother Vincent said he thought the “miraculous revelation” would come to an end, but more people kept on visiting their home after his family members shared their experiences on Facebook.

“Jesus knew, when there were a lot of people who came to witness the holy miracle, the bowl would be filled with oil," he said. 

“People came for healing spiritually, physically and mentally and he knew, some days when there were less people, there would be less oil in the bowl where the holy statue of Jesus was placed.”

The family did not turn away anyone who visited their home for healing or wanting to collect the liquid substance that continued to ooze from the statue, added Brother Vincent, who said people believed they could be healed in the name of Jesus Christ with the oil.

“But I am only a servant, a vessel for his will but Jesus he is our Lord and Saviour and I will help those in need by providing them with healing through his holy oil,” he told the Samoa Observer.

“And the equal distribution of the miraculous given oil to everyone rich or poor.”

Churchgoers and leaders from other Christian denominations in Samoa, including the Methodist Church and the Assembly of God (A.O.G.) also visited the family’s home to witness the miracle, according to Brother Vincent.

The unexplained phenomenon witnessed in the family home in Leufisa village comes over two months after a painting of Jesus Christ, which hung on the wall in the Home of the Elderly at Mapuifagalele also began to seep a liquid substance that shocked residents, staff and visitors.

The painting of Jesus Christ hung on the wall in the room of the late Monsignor Joe Stowers with eyewitnesses claiming that it began to “weep” water and blood in the lead-up to the death of the late Monsignor in late November.

Coincidentally, it was also Brother Vincent and a friend, who were with the late senior clergyman when the liquid substance seeping from the painting was first noticed.