Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Sandwich Pulls a Lazarus

Ebay has staged a miracle. On Sunday the site suspended an auction for a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich that featured the face of the Virgin Mary. Now, the Associated Press says Mary's Miracle Sandwich has returned.

Hallelujah.

Ebay originally cancelled the Mary Sandwich auction because it was deemed a joke. It wasn't. And that makes this story even funnier.

Diana Duyser, a 52-year-old jewelry designer, posted the sandwich in good faith. Upon cooking the sandwich a decade ago, Duyser took one bite and suddenly realized that the Virgin Mary was staring back at her (see picture). Like all reasonable people, she promptly archived the sandwich in a plastic box with cotton balls.

Before being yanked on Sunday, the Mary Sandwich had claimed a high bid of $22,000.

Update: The sacred Grilled Cheese has inspired hundreds of knock-offs. My favorites: A personalized Virgin Mary sandwich; a grilled cheese wearing pink dangle earrings; and a super rare Virgin Mary on an old bun. -- Mac

Update to the Update: eBay has been systematically suspending the grilled cheese knock-offs, so the links offered above may lead to "invalid entries" (or something like that). I can assure you, these things did exist. I will leave the links in as a testament to what once was ... and what could be again.

Thank You Update: Thanks to all who pointed me toward the Virgin Mary Sandwich link! Someday, I hope you're all blessed by an unidentifiable sandwich image!

Absolutely Last Update (for now): Sandwich owner Diana Duyser will receive $28,000 from GoldenPalace.com in exchange for the Mary Sandwich. GoldenPalace (the online casino responsible for a rash of publicity stunts across the globe) will take Duyser and the sandwich on a bus tour that will spread the sandwich's message -- whatever it may be -- across the U.S.

Posted by Mac at November 17, 2004 02:19 PM