A remarkable discoloration on a wall in France has generated quite the buzz as it bears a striking resemblance to the face of Jesus. Located in the city of Thionville, the somewhat eerie-looking stain sits on an otherwise-unremarkable barrier separating two residential properties. Earlier this month, it was noticed by a man named Bernard Peter, who spotted it while looking out the window of his home.
Although Peter is skeptical that 'the face' is a divine message, his wife, who is stricken with Parkinson's disease, had a more profound reaction to the sight. "When I told her what I saw," he told a French newspaper, she made the difficult walk over to the window and could not believe her eyes. Rather than say a thing, he recalled, she simply burst into tears.
The difference of opinion from the couple acts as a microcosm of the city at large, where residents seem to be split on the nature of the anomaly. Skeptics argue that it is merely the product of mildew, moss, and other elements that normally grow on walls. Others see something potentially miraculous, which has led to a number of people visiting the site to pray and leave offerings.
Unfortunately, just as there are two sides to that debate, there are also two sides to the wall itself and some of the barrier's co-owners can't stand all the attention. "Since this story was made public, it's an incessant parade," groused one neighbor, who reportedly declared "we must finish with this masquerade" and argued that the wall must be scrubbed clean. As one can imagine, the suggestion has been met with resistance by residents who also have a stake in the wall, leaving the fate of the 'face' up to the local government who, no doubt, are ruing the dilemma that they now face.