Your say: the Virgin Mary pebble

Hans Klouwens

MARY A-LA PICASSO: Stuff reader Hans Klouwens writes: Is this 'Mary in an inanimate object'? Well yes, I think so! We've all seen and come across some weird sightings in pieces of timber creating many a knotty, so-called visual masterpiece. This object however slowly changed tacks in recent times as it gradually manifested itself on my fence built about 5 years ago. Having seen your article on the 'Trade-Me related' pebble auction, I feel that my 'Godly Created' masterpiece would indeed be worthy of being observed by a vastly bigger audience, with perhaps healing powers of a slightly different nature? Anyway, I call it 'Mary a-la- Picasso'. Or perhaps 'The Virgin Mary Model 2000'.

Mike Clancy

FROMAGE HOMAGE: Stuff reader Mike Clancy writes: Here's my pic of the virgin mary manifesting within a leading brand cheese snack. I've had this for 1.5 years sealed in a air-tight bag with the original packing. The fact that it hasn't yet decayed is surely evidence of a higher power at work, or perhaps preservatives. I haven't put this on TradeMe because I'm scared the person who wins the bidding will eat it. I'd only consider selling this to someone who sees the symbolic value in this, and puts it in a museum, church, or behind bulletproof glass in the middle of Aotea Square, where it belongs.

MUN-KONG KEE

JESUS IN THE APPLE CORE? Mun-Kong Lee submitted this image of a face in his compost.

ON THE MONEY: Stuff reader Wali thought the image in the stone was the Monopoly Man. CLOSE UP: More than one Stuff reader has compared the pebble to television journalist Mark Sainsbury. SIKH AND YE SHALL FIND: Another Stuff reader likened the image in the pebble to Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.

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Stuff readers are invited to tell us what they see in the Virgin Mary pebble, and send us their pics of mysterious religious iconography.

Send us your feedback and photos.

Aside from the fact no bonafide Christian would worship something the bible says don't, ie icons, images ... I think it looks more like a blindfolded and bound prisoner. Ironic really, if you put religious trust in something the book of the religion says not to.
- Brent

I think the money the seller gets for this pebble should be donated to help maintain/restore the Kaikoura beach she took it from.
- Kirsten Finnis

It's obviously Father Christmas on a moped, staring at an overhead UFO.
- Rory Macoy

I see the transfer of DNA into an enucleated egg - all the genetic engineers will be bidding like crazy! GE rulez
- Andrew Veale

Looks more like Billy Bunter with a halo!
- June

I'm saddened to see that people will go to such extremes to make money. Trying to sell the "faithful" a common pebble under the guise of it being an image of the Virgin Mary is truly shameful. Though I must admit that it looks like a walrus in a suit to me. I can't find the Virgin on that stone at all.
- Mel Brown

Have you noticed that if you turn it upside down, it looks like a terribly sad koala bear. But beware! Make sure you do this with a laptop, not a desk PC, as my friend found out.
- Saskia K

I say good on her, some people are happy to pay 10% of their earnings to the church every week, and I don?t hear any church officials complaining about that. Maybe if she was going to donate some to Rev. Tamaki, he could get in on the act too.
- Jeff E

I see Lawrence of Arabia wearing a tie.
- Mike L

I agree with Jay Fitton, you can totally see Paddington Bear! At first glance I struggled to see any kind of significant image, let alone Mary but on closer inspection, Paddington is definitely the winning "inexplicable image" on the pebble. I'll give you $5. (incl P&P). It's just profiting from peoples religious beliefs. If someone believes they can see the Virgin Mary of course they'll shell out for it. As would someone fascinated with Paddington Bear. It's all about what you believe and what influences you. Annie M makes a fantastic point in that perhaps it was a mistake to state where it was found. God only knows who could be sticking their hand up for it and then politicians will get involved because the elections are coming up ..... maybe you could rub the pebble for some of that good luck to spill over into the general public aye?
- FelixTheCat

It's just embarrassing that pareidolia like this isn't met with more skepticism and/or ridicule rather than the media attention it's getting. $50,000? Really? Well, I hope no one is foolish enough to buy this - otherwise they'll never be able to afford my authentic "Jesus Taco" ...
- NickB

Do I see Mary? Of Course. The human brain was created to see (and infact seek) order. A friend sent me a photo of his hedge after he'd cut it (unfortunately I've lost the email with the photo in it) But basically you could see what appeared to be the image of Jesus. It was in fact twigs and leaves but the eye seeks order and we see what we want to see. $50,000? No one who knows Jesus would pay 50 cents for it (That is assuming 50Cent knew what it was!)
- Rob Holding

It looks more like Guru Nanak than anyone else.
- Trevor Stephens

It looks very like the Linux penguin to me, this would put it's value far in excess of $50,000!
- Suzanne Levy

She had an awesome run of luck since she got the stone, but now has to sell it as she's run out of money. A limited life icon?
- Matthew C

Looks like a walrus or Mark Sainsbury than the Virgin Mary!
- Raelene Hurndell

I think it looks a lot like Mark Sainsbury off close up. You can see it he is in a suit with his great mo showing.
- Mannie Patel

I'm interested in the Catholic Churches response to the stone where Lindsay Freer says 'that they are cautious because no one saw Mary, so how do they know what she looks like'. I wonder when the Catholic Church NZ will be instructing all their churches in NZ to remove the statues of Mary etc from the premises and documentation until they can confirm the effigies are an accurate depiction of her. It goes something like...those in glass houses.....
- Dan S

I see a walrus with a bow tie. But just to let you know it hasn?t been sole as the buyer has been disabled, so I guess her and her greed have to start again.
- Rosemary Keay

whoever bought that pebble got a bargain. That is a priceless relic. I hope - like the original finder - that the pebble bestows the blessing of an incredible run of good luck. I hope that good luck last long enough to at least get the $50,000 investment back. No doubt, the virgin Mary will be moved by the faith of the purchaser and will do everything within her power to ensure they are not out of pocket as a result of their "faith".
- Ken Smith

Just the ideal way to separate the gullible from their dollars. I find it hard to believe that a supposedly all powerful god would descend to a piece of toast or a chance find on a beach to get his powerful word across. After all, it was 2 rather large stones at Sinai and that didn't work.
- Albert Morgan

Err....how does anyone know? There are no photographs or contemporary portraits - nor, indeed, any conclusive evidence of her existence.
- Bill

It looks like an upsidedown lightbulb.
- Scrooge McDuck

The supposed image of the Virgin Mary on the stone found in Kaikoura is a classic example of pareidoliac apophenia - the tendency to see faces, shapes or patterns in random stimuli (cheese toast, pebbles etc). Were the Virgin Mary not a religious icon, and thus inculcated into the collective Western/Christian conscience, it's doubtful anyone would "see" her at all. This incident is more interesting as a demonstration of the deep human drive to find meaning in chaos - appropriate for these times, perhaps.
- Jessica Maclean

I See Paddington Bear... Except with no Face. If you look closely you can see his big Floppy hat and a Raincoat. Maybe Paddington bear can be the next religious figure...
- Jay Fitton

A stone with an image of a virgin at $50,000 really? Looks more like a guy with a suit, wide tie and wild long hairstyle.
- Anthony Lealand

Mmmm what a load of codswallop.....bit concerned about the fingernail health of the holder.....Needs some serious help there......perhaps if he/she clutched the stone and begged the9 "virgins") pardon for being so greedy she would be healed.
- J Ashford-Martin

Don't give up your day job Ms Corlett and I am not sure if you should have stated where you found the stone as it may come under the seabed and foreshore act and belong to someone else. I imagine this will have started a life long hobby of rock watching for you.
- Annie M

I see a man with a long handle bar mustache and wearing a business tie and semi casual modern loose jacket and shirt. Or alternatively it could be a Hobbit, but hard to check to see if the toes are furry. Would this bring me luck or is it just a childhood fixation?
- John Fazackerley

I see the image of a greedy woman rubbing her hands together in glee.
- No name