Roman Catholic Church authorities in Spain have impounded a statue of the Virgin Mary that reportedly cried blood 10 days ago in a northeastern Spanish village.

A team of experts will be appointed to determine whether the stains below the eyes of the marble statue are evidence of a miracle or a hoax.

Church authorities decided Thursday to move the red-stained statue from the church in the tiny village of Mura to the northeastern city of Vic.

An earlier statement from the bishop’s office at Vic called on the faithful to “follow the criteria of prudence recommended by the Church in such cases.”

The national news agency EFE said some residents of Mura believe the blood stains are a fake, and are somehow linked to the town priest’s unwillingness to be reassigned after 22 years in the village.