Woman selling 'Virgin Mary' rock

BROOKSVILLE, Fla., May 15 (UPI) -- A Brooksville, Fla., woman is attempting to sell a rock that she says bears the image of the Virgin Mary cradling baby Jesus.

Dena Patterson, 79, said she found the rock while walking through the woods in West Virginia in 1996. She has been using it as a doorstop ever since, The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune reported Thursday.

Patterson said she decided to sell the rock to raise money for a trip to visit family members in West Virginia.

"I expect to get a lot of money," Patterson said.

"This is a rock. It's not like it's a piece of cheese," she said, making reference to the infamous grilled cheese sandwich that allegedly bore Mary's image and sold for $28,000 on eBay.

Patterson said she is seeking local buyers because she does not own a computer and does not know how to use eBay.