Episode 1 - All Ye Faithful

Episode 1 Sources

Pt 1

-[https://openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au/ARSR/article/download/8990/8945]

- [https://coogeenews.com.au/a-look-back-at-the-alleged-marian-apparition-at-coogee-beach/]

- [https://mysticpost.com/2020/02/powerful-photo-captures-apparition-of-virgin-mary-at-coogee-beach-there-have-been-numerous-sightings-claimed-but-mystery-never-solved/]

- [https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-fathers-the-sun-and-the-holy-post-20030131-gdg6y5.html]

- [https://www.museumoflost.com/the-virgin-mary-at-coogee-beach/]

Pt 2

- [https://amp.smh.com.au/national/fraud-charges-do-not-deter-house-of-miracles-faithful-20100121-moac.html]

- [https://www.odditycentral.com/news/sydneys-mysterious-miracle-house-oozes-oil-from-walls-helps-desperate-couples-get-pregnant.html#more-64640]

- [https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/miracle-house-with-weeping-walls-still-welcoming-visitors-in-guildford/news-story/7acea857494e37cd0ccf7c2da1949f36]

- [https://expressdigest.com/mystical-home-in-western-sydney-that-followers-believe-seeps-oil-with-divine-healing-powers/]

Transcript

Throughout the centuries, unexplained phenomena that occur within a religious context are considered miracles.  In this episode, I’ll be yarning about two that allegedly happened in separate Sydney suburbs.

(Cue intro)

Fun fact!  For the first seven years of my education, I attended a catholic school.

During the mandatory religious education lessons during primary school, we’d learn about miracles: the topic of today’s episode.

There was one miracle that I always found fascinating, and it’s termed as a Marian Apparition.  This miracle comprises of a vision of the Virgin Mary appearing to someone, most often a saint or a devout believer.  A famous example is Our Lady of Lourdes, in which Mary appeared before a young lady now known as Saint Bernadette.

The Vatican has official guidelines about what counts as a legit apparition.  I’m not gonna bore you with the details, but essentially, you have to be sane and you don’t intend to make profit out of your sighting.  You also have to pray regularly, be charitable, you know, be a good Catholic.  And if the Vatican is satisfied with these conditions, they’ll investigate your claims, and if they find legitimacy, well, the rest is history.

Anyway, now we get to Coogee.  Unlike Bondi, Coogee is a a little more quieter.  If you don’t like big crowds, or much surf, but like the beachside atmosphere, then this place may be for you.

Here, there’s a small business called the Beach Street Gallery Laundrette, owned by Christine Cherry.  Published in the local newspaper, The Southern Courier, on January 22nd 2003, Cherry stated that the apparition of Mary appeared around two months prior.  At the time of the first sighting, the Randwick Council voted to change Dolphins Point to commemorate the 18 lives lost during the 2002 Bali Bombings.  Notably, these 18 individuals had lived in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Looking at the pictures of the apparition, “Mary” seems to be clad in white robes and a white hood, looking statuesque with no discernible facial features.  She’s standing, and looks to have her hands together as if in prayer.  Typically, in art and in descriptions of visionaries that saw her, Mary wears white.

After getting much media attention, throngs of people visited the site in hopes of seeing the apparition for themselves.

While some people were curious and others sceptical, a lot of the visitors were believers.  The site somewhat turned into a shrine to the holy figure.  Visitors left flowers and rosaries, prayed, and tacked images of the Virgin Mary onto the posts where the apparition would appear.

However, not too many people were convinced about the miracle, and were eager to debunk what was happening.  For starters, not everyone’s religious let alone spiritual, so they never believed it in the first place. But even the clergy were doubtful.  The Coogee parish priest, Father Denis Holm, believed it to be an optical illusion.  He told the Sydney Morning Herald, quote, “I'm not putting a great amount of store on the significance of it, however if people are experiencing a sense of peace by being there, then I see it as a good thing.” Unquote.

It’s worth noting that the apparition was seen between 3:15 and 4:30 in the afternoon, during sunny weather.  Considering that fact, sceptics were able to debunk the apparition, figuring that the Marian sighting was due to the colour of the fence, and the the way that the sunlight was hitting it; casting shadows that made the structure look like Mary.

Yeah, I’m gonna have to agree with the sceptics in that’s it’s just an optical illusion.  It’s a little too convenient that Mary appears in white clothing, on fence that just so happens to be painted white, and appears only during a particular period of the day when the sun casts shadows down in a certain position.  Despite this, some people still believe that Mary’s presence is still within the area.

But, someone always has to come in and ruin everything.  Not too long after it gained attention, the fence that showed Mary got destroyed by vandals, and the vision appeared no more.  Thankfully, the fence was rebuilt, but it’s now made of solid cement.  In spite of no longer seeing the Mary-like image anymore, the fence continued being a shrine, with Catholic believers visiting the site even to this day.  Icons of Mary decorate the fence, and flowers and rosaries adorn the site.

At the end of the day, People are allowed to believe whatever they want.  If they still feel spiritually connected to the place and see it as a place to show their devotion to Mary, then who are we to tell them otherwise?  Maybe the optical illusion can be taken as more of a sign to keep in touch with one’s spirituality, rather than be an actual apparition.

Anyway, to end this part, here’s a little amusing titbit for ya.  The locals at the time called this apparition the cute little nicknames, “Rail Mary” and “Our Lady of the Fence Post”.

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From Coogee, we go west to the suburb of Guildford.  It’s a rather quiet and ordinary suburb, with everything you could ask for: schools, parks, shops, churches and a few places where you can go grab a beer or a cocktail if you want.  Otherwise, if you’re after a more exciting place to live, you might wanna head on east towards the CBD.

Here in Guildford, we find the residence of George and Lina Tannous.  Once, you could say that they live in a run-of-the-mill, 3-bedroom house. But now I’ll tell you why that’s not the case.

Just a quick note here, the Tannous family are ethnically Lebanese, and are devoted Christians.

In September 2006, George and Lina tragically lost their teenage son, Mike, in a car accident.  You can only imagine the agony that the parents would be going through, especially losing their only child at that.

George relayed to The Daily Telegraph that something totally bizarre happened 40 days after Mike’s passing.  He told them, quote: “My wife saw something shining on the wall like a diamond over his bed.  Only my wife saw it and there was 15 of us in the room with her. She touched it and all of sudden oil started appearing on the walls and it hasn’t stopped. This is a big miracle. I can’t explain it.” Unquote.

Out of nowhere, a strange oil started dripping down the walls of the Tannous home.  Ash also manifested itself within the house.  Interestingly, sometimes signs would appear on the walls.  Usually they were crosses, and at times the letter M would also form.  Once, the oil depicted a heart with a crown of thorns wrapped around it.  In Christian iconography, Jesus’s heart is sometimes depicted in the same way.

Since this happened, the Tannouses opened their doors for everyone that wanted to come and see the miracle.  They do not ask for money donations and state that they are doing this for God.

George mentioned that when Mike was alive, he was a dedicated Christian.  He prayed daily, always had a rosary with him, and even had a cross tattooed on his back.  Another key observation is a coincidence between a baby photo of Mike, and an image of Jesus.

In the photo of Mike, the young boy had his index finger pointing up, and in common depictions of Jesus, he is also seen with his fingers pointing up to heaven.

Since this mysterious occurrence happened, the residence has become a religious shrine.  Additionally, there are claims that the oil has extraordinary healing properties.  George and Lina state that the oil has helped couples once unsuccessful with pregnancy now able to conceive after they prayed at the Tannous home.  Also, the oil had allegedly cured a person of cancer.  Visitors to the house can collect samples of the oil for themselves, and even rub a bit onto their skin, in hopes of curing whatever ailments they have.

In 2017, on the current affairs show Today Tonight, a scientist by the name of Anthony Kamu tested the oil and the ash from the house.  Scientific observation showed that the oil is aqueous, and has trace elements of gold and a safe amount of uranium.  He concluded that it was difficult to pinpoint the origin of the oil.  However, the ash was merely burnt timber.  But still, how it suddenly appeared is unknown.  Due to this unexplained phenomenon, George and Lina, as well as other supporters believe that Mike should become a saint.

But as usual, with cases like this, there are always doubters.  Tim Mendham, executive officer and editor of Australian Sceptics Incorporated, is one of those.  He stated: “If I can be so cynical, the early photos show the oil at shoulder height, which was the right height for someone throwing it on the wall. Only now is it higher and on the roof.”  Forums online also debated whether this occurrence is of a supernatural one or not, with some people raising an eyebrow at the idea of God pouring oil on somebody’s walls to show his presence.

Then, a surprising turn of events followed.  In January 2010, George Tannous was charged with fraud.  Police alleged that as a financier, George forged fake documents for people that have poor credit history, allowing them to obtain credit cards.  Apparently, he took a cut from his clients for doing this.  Regarding that charge and the nature of his behaviour, you can make of that what you will.  However, George insisted that this charge is a part of a conspiracy against their work for God and their son.  Perhaps, you could liken it to a persecution.

He said, quote: “I would like to announce that there is a big game [being played] by those who are against this miracle and the House of Miracles.  The miracle is completely true and it's clear from the result of the oil which was tested by the scientists from the Government. If somebody has a problem with my job, let him take me to court. The miracle will continue always and the door is always open.” Unquote.

To this day, the Guildford residence still gets a fair number of visitors.  They pray, collect samples of the oil, and hope for a miracle to happen, be it big or small.  If this actually, is a charade, and the Tannouses are merely pulling our legs, then they really do put in the time to oil up their walls every day to keep it up.  Personally, I wouldn’t have the energy to do that.

Otherwise, it really could be a manifestation of their son’s spirit still with them.  Or maybe science doesn’t have the answers as to why this phenomenon happens…just yet.

Whatever you believe, it really is still a strange sight to behold.

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We’ll, that’s my yarn for now.

If I come back to visit Sydney again, I might actually go to the two places mentioned.  I’ll just go and sus ‘em out, and probably try the oil to see if anything happens.  And if I do that, I’ll report back to ya.

Anyhow, I’ll have to end it here.  I’ve got nothing else to add.  Take care of yourselves, and don’t forget to lock your doors and ignore the strange noises outside.

See ya!