Church leader not convinced by video claiming the Virgin Mary’s lips moved

A video of a painting at St Charbel’s church in Punchbowl, Sydney, Australia, that seemingly shows the lips of the Virgin Mary moving hasn't convinced the church’s leader that it’s a miracle.



Wollongong man George Akary filmed what he and stunned worshippers believe was the moment the Virgin Mary’s lips appeared to move on the artwork during Mass. Something I have seen, a few times, this time I recorded it,” Mr Akary said on Facebook. “See the mouths on them.

“At St Charbels Church in Punchbowl, Sydney 19th July during service. To clarify for the viewers ... I saw this during mass and at the end the rosary is prayed. “ went to the altar and wanted to confirm via recording it,” he added. But Reverend Father Joseph Sleiman from the church has said he has watched the footage 20 times and cannot see anything special.


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“For me, I looked at it, it is a kind of personal experience or hallucination or imagination,” Fr Sleiman said. “He might have felt something under the emotion of prayer and looking at Mary. It’s not a professional camera, it’s not clear enough. We can’t base our faith on something not 100 per cent.”