Fresno, CA – A tree crying God’s tears has become a symbol of faith to parishioners of St. John’s Cathedral, but this religious phenomenon actually has a pretty mundane scientific explanation.
Last week, a clear liquid started falling from the tree located outside of the church. The small community of church-goers there interpreted this liquid as the tears of God himself and have begun to gather under the tree to offer prayers or receive a miracle.
“I said my prayer and asked the Lord to give me a miracle cause I’m really, really sick,” said one parishioner.
“When you say ‘glory be to God in Jesus name’ the tree starts throwing out more water,” another claimed.
But arborist Jon Reelhorn came in for a close inspection and found that “God’s tears” actually have a pretty mundane – even slightly gross – scientific explanation.
“The aphides will suck the sap, the sap goes through the aphid and then it is a honey dew excrement from the aphid and it gets so heavy in the summertime that it will drip down,” he said.
So, basically God’s tears are bug poo .
Reelhorn says that another tree across the street is doing the exact same thing.
Of course, some Catholics have been skeptical of the tree from day one. “For me it is a natural thing but for some they say its different,” said Catholic Miguel Beja.
But others are sticking to their guns. Whether it’s bug poo or something divine, some parishioners still count it as a miracle.
“I can tell you looking at it from a scientific standpoint and a spiritual standpoint it is the work of God manifesting here on earth,” said one.
What do you think of the tree shedding God’s tears? Supernatural or scientific?
[Image: Wikimedia Commons ]
