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The Bleeding Statue Eight miles southwest of Philadelphia, on Highway 291, sits Eddystone. Here lies the Church of St. Luke, a holy shrine that once harbored a very enigmatic symbol. For one whole year, from 1975 to 1976, it was alleged that a statue of Jesus Christ, positioned twelve-feet above the altar, bled continuously. This amazing case of stigmata appeared to be no hoax, but ceased as miraculously as it had begun. The statue was......

The Inquirer profiles a Germantown clinic whose services are described as indispensable, but which may shut down soon due to a lack of funds. Suspended Episcopal Bishop Charles E. Bennison Jr. testified yesterday in his ecclesiastical trial, trying to explain why he had not told anyone that his brother was sexually abusing a high-school student in the 1970s. A preliminary hearing was held yesterday for the five North Philadelphia teens arrested in the beating and......

The Inquirer takes a close look at Mayor Nutter's first budget proposal. The subtitle of the article is: "The $3.98 billion plan seeks bonds for pensions and a kitty for unions." Awww, that's nice! He's getting a kitty for the unions! We hope it's a cute kitty. David C. Sicoli, a Philadelphia priest with "a long history of abusive and manipulative relationships with adolescents," according to a grand jury report, has finally been defrocked by......

Nothing puts me in the holiday spirit like Handel's Messiah. Despite the fact that much of Messiah's subject matter is better-suited for Easter, it has made itself a Christmas-time staple of choirs around the world. Because of its length (three hours), it's not too often that you hear Handel's Messiah in its entirety, much less on period instruments. Some argue that modern instruments fill Handel's texture out, but I find that they detract from......

There is a new Queen of Soul. Sorry Mary, Alicia, and Jill, but there is a woman from Brooklyn who's reminding us all of how it's done. Her name is Sharon Jones, and she and her backing band, the Dap-Kings, will slay your ears and make you yearn for a time when people sang (and didn't sample), "Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean." Jones brings the soul while......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Reelblack: Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan and Chief Rocker Busy Bee: The Architect Vol. 1 at the International House (3701 Chestnut), 7PM. $7 Armed America: Author Kyle Cassidy speaks about his book Armed America: Portraits of Gun Owners in Their Homes at Germ Books and Gallery (2005 Frankford Ave), 7PM. Free Margot & The Nuclear So and So's: Margot & The Nuclear So and So's, Le......

Although The Golden Compass is being compared to the Narnia Chronicles in some of the ads, the series that the book it's based on is a part of - Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy - is really the anti-Narnia: equal but exactly opposite to C.S. Lewis' saga of Christian allegory. Some people are saying that The Golden Compass is anti-Catholic - and they're right. The movie doesn't emphasize it as much as the book......

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. How to Cook Your Life - A documentary about a combination chef-Zen Buddhist priest (Edward Espe Brown) who's trying to school viewers in the joys of organic cooking. We can't say that sounds particularly exciting to us, but we could see how it might be fun. Trailer Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse Most Likely to Suck: Revolver - If you feel like this Guy Ritchie......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: THIS JUST IN:The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society is holding a $10 ticket sale today, featuring 14 upcoming jazz and classical music performances (list after the jump). You can call the box office at 215-569-8080, or order the tickets online using the discount code "HolidayOffer." Air Power: Wind Quintet and Piano featuring the music of Poulenc, Barber, Ibert, and Higdon at First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut), 7:30PM. Free Sing,......

Phillyist likes shopping for toys. We don’t know why. Perhaps biology is rearing its ugly head, reminding us that even savvy (read: nerdy) urbanites can and indeed should procreate. In any event, when this Phillyist used to be a good Catholic, we’d love the week after Thanksgiving when the Christmas tree would go up in the back of the church, decorated with cardboard stars on which the details of a child in need of......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Phillyist Happy Hour: Get your drink and eat on with the Phillyist crew at St. Stephen's Green (17th and Green), 6-8PM. Free Alan Licht: Guitarist Alan Licht at the Kelly Writers House (3805 Locust Walk), 6PM. Free Meg and Rob: Comedy duo Meg and Rob present “Reviving the Lecture Circuit” as part of the Philly Improv Theater's week at the Shubin Theater (407 Bainbridge), 8PM. $5 Baroness: Baroness,......

The Inquirer has an article about the Philadelphia Community Cats Council, a group of folks trying to manage and reduce the city's huge feral cat population, estimated to be at least 250,000. They do this by trapping feral cats, neutering them, and then returning them where they were found. Both the Daily News and the Inquirer have articles about Sharon Hill native John Patrick Foley and his elevation this weekend to the status of Cardinal......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: At The Church: Heavy Heavy Low Low, Dance Gavin Dance, Foxy Shazam, and Tera Melos at The First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut), 7:30PM, courtesy the folks at R5. $10 An Unreasonable Man: Preview of the Independent Lens film An Unreasonable Man at the WHYY Technology Center (150 N 6th), 6PM. Free (RSVP online) Life’s Joys, Life’s Disappointments: Reception for Michael Grothusen’s new sculpture Life’s Joys—Life’s Disappointments at the......

Tuesday The Academy of Vocal Arts opens its season with Mozart's witty and timeless Così fan tutte. Academy of Vocal Arts (19th and Spruce); 7:30 PM; $48 Yo-Yo Ma comes to the Kimmel Center with Kathryn Stott, piano for an evening of Schubert, Shostakovich, Piazzola, Gismonti and Franck. Verizon Hall (Kimmel Cetner); 8 PM; $38-$94 Thursday Temple University faculty members Lawrence Wagner, clarinet, Jeffrey Solow, cello, and Charles Abramovic, piano give a concert of......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: At the Church: Avail, Smoke Or Fire, Let Down, and Bridge & Tunnel at the First Unitarian Church (22nd and Chestnut Streets), 7:30PM via the fine folks at R5. $10 Rocky Roads: Showing of Rocky Road to Dublin (a portrait of Ireland in the Sixties) with The Making of Rocky Road to Dublin at the International House (3701 Chestnut), 7PM. $5-$7 Venezuelan Serenade: Serenata Guayanesa, world-renowned vocal......

The Red Sox has permeated nearly every facet of Bostonist's lives. When they're not live-blogging the games, waxing poetic about the games, thanking Curt Schilling for his splendid work, or telling Dane Cook to watch his hair, they're watching certain presidential candidates hop on the Red Sox bandwagon (sorry, Gothamist). The Sox are so branded on the local brain that people are using the Series to spice up their sex lives. Speaking of spice, Bostonist......

"A former lawmaker has returned $79,000 he was paid to serve as litigator for House Republicans." But the state Ethics Commission still has to decide whether his contract violated Pennsylvania law, in which case he might have to pay fines equal to three times that amount. The 90-year-old woman who was beaten and robbed outside her Port Richmond home last month has now died from her injuries. The police are asking for help in......

Gothamist learned about the craziest urban nightmare come true: A huge python found in the bathroom pipes. It was also a nightmare for some Yankees fans, as manger Joe Torre declined to come back and manage the Bronx Bombers. At least the city's attempt to give some direction to subway riders was interesting, pranksters went shirtless at the Fifth Avenue Abercrombie & Fitch and the I Heart Brooklyn Girls calendars came out. And just......

Wednesday The Opera Company of Philadelphia finishes its run of Verdi's timeless and tragic Rigoletto. The Academy of Music (Broad & Locust Sts); 7:30 PM; $7-$205 Acclaimed concert pianist and teacher Seymour Lipkin gives a solo recital of Bach, Brahms, and Debussy presented by the Philadephia Chamber Music Society. American Philosophical Society (427 Chestnut Street); 8 PM; $25 Thursday The Slought Foundation presents Vincent Royer and Philadelphia-based ensemble Noamnesia in an evening of music by......

Wednesday The Dolce Suono Trio devotes an entire concert to Philadelphia composers, including Ned Rorem, George Crumb, Charles Abramovic, and Curt Cacioppo. First Unitarian Church (21st and Chestnut); FREE; 7:30 PM The Opera Company of Philadelphia presents Verdi's timeless Rigoletto. You'll be humming "La Donna è mobile" all the way home. Academy of Music (Broad and Locust); 7:30 PM; $8-$113 Thursday The Philadelphia Orchestra shows its love for Beethoven with an all-Beethoven concert featuring his......

We'll make this short and sweet: Voxtrot (MySpace) is a good band. Their self-titled full-length release is a super-fun disc, full of catchy pop rock. Download a great track from the album ("Kid Gloves" - wherein vocalist Ramesh Srivastava cries, "Cheer me up, cheer me up, I'm a miserable fuck") right here. They're playing an all ages show at the First Unitarian Church this Sunday with 1990s and The Little Ones. Check out the R5......

Did anyone else see where September went? It was Labor Day, we went to the closet to pack up our white shoes, and suddenly it's the terminal week. Next year, September, give us a little more transition time? Also, knock it off with the 90s. One good thing about September's passing is that October is beginning, and all the lovely holidays and festivals that come with it. This weekend kicks off Oktoberfest in our......

Seattlest watches as a S.L.U.T. is born and Seattle Flickr users go nuts over a local art installation. A restaurant critic demands a Diner's Bill of Rights over a gnat next to her drink, and, in lieu of a Portlandist, Seattlest debates with itself over the identity of the Northwest's crown jewel. Seattlest also joins the guys from Fantagraphics for an ill-fated gun party in the woods. Bostonist got a crash course in what not......

Wednesday Curtis opens its season with faculty members Joseph Silverstein, violin, and Awadagin Pratt, piano, in an evening of sonatas by Brahms, Ravel, and Franck. Curtis Institute of Music (18th and Locust); 8 PM; Free Thursday Temple continues its faculty recital season with Charles Abramovic, piano, in a solo recital featuring works by Haydn, Mozart, Liszt, Scriabin, and Bolcom. Rock Hall (Temple University); 7:30 PM; FREE Even though it feels like fall, the Philadelphia Orchestra......

For our parents, it was the assassination of JFK. Ask any of them and they can remember exactly what they were doing at the time they found out JFK had been killed. I never understood that until September 11, 2001. Our generation can remember it like it was yesterday. For us, that moment, frozen in time, is and will always be 9/11. Back then I was in community journalism at a small paper in Bristol,......

Yes, it's back! Classical music concerts have returned to Philadelphia after a much-deserved break. Get excited for the upcoming year. Monday The Momenta String Quartet presents a free lunchtime concert, mixing some of its new season with some old favorites. Swarthmore College; 12:30 PM; FREE Tuesday Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra Sextet combines jazz sensibilities with unexpected sound clips and visuals. Catch them on tour as they stop at Philadelphia's International House. International House Philadelphia......

Performance: Between the Pages: 3 sisters, a winged boy and a lighthouse (SCRAP Performance Group) (Future Showtimes) During college, I didn't get to see a lot of Fringe shows because so few of them were staged in University City. Now it seems that the Festival has spread far beyond Center City and Old City, and I think that SEPTA should have a special Festival pass, or the Festival should have special shuttles, so that people......

Police have charged Duane Jackson, 45, with attempted murder and attempted rape in the case of a woman who was stabbed and sexually assaulted in her home near Center City in July. Authorities suspect Jackson may be responsible for other attacks in the city and are looking into that now, so more charges are probably on the way. An appeals court panel has upheld the 81/2-to-17-year prison sentence given to a computer consultant for......

A little Philly celebrity news: 50 Cent was in town earlier this week. Click through for details and pictures. Earlier this spring, when the whole thing came out about the Philadelphia School District's budget problems, their chief financial officer and budget overseer resigned. But it's just now coming out that, despite the fact that she only worked for the district for two years, she left with a ridiculously good deal: she was paid for unused......