Doherty said that the statue had been erected long ago, but that it had been entirely white until a parishioner painted it a few years back. Now, it features a blue robe and flesh-colored paint on its face.

Although a recent photo of the statue in the church clearly showed grey, tear-like lines running down its cheeks, no such marks were visible on Friday.

One visitor, Jose Barahona, was disappointed that the darkness and rain prevented him from seeing the tears. He had heard about the crying statue on the local news. Nevertheless, he took pictures with his cellular phone and promised to return.

And people like Barahona will continue to visit regardless of the time of day or type of weather.

“I believe things like this happen. There’s something there. Some things bring you peace. It brings comfort,” Logrippo said. “It’s like for instance when...I took a picture and there was this flash of light everywhere in the print. There was a bright ring around everything. You can only hope.”

Diocesan officials have not named the statue a shrine.

Doherty invited a former employee of the FBI to analyze the tears but said that the test was “not worth $800.” Doherty said that he would rather give the money to local charities.

Harvard Catholic Students Association (CSA) member Francis X. Altiere ’04 said he was unaware of any plans for the group to visit the statue.

CSA President Kaitlin Burek ’06 declined comment yesterday.

Doherty was uncertain whether people would visit the statue indefinitely. “This is not a shrine, this is not authentic. Maybe in fifty years, if people are still coming [it will be].”

—Staff writer Claire Provost can be reached at jprovost@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Joseph M. Tartakoff can be reached at tartakof@fas.harvard.edu.