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1 week agoThe 'Tricks of Monks': Fake Miracles and Medieval Christians in The Book of Charlatans - Medievalists.net
The Book of Charlatans reveals tricks used by monks and frauds to deceive audiences in medieval times.
A self-styled mystic who drew hundreds of pilgrims to a town near Rome by claiming a statue of the Virgin Mary wept tears of blood has been sent to trial for alleged fraud. Gisella Cardia, who also claimed the statue was transmitting messages to her, will be tried along with her husband, Gianni Cardia, in April next year. They are accused of staging fake apparitions of the Virgin Mary and making false predictions of catastrophes to attract donations from their Catholic followers.