Front-yard Virgin Mary to come down

A Windsor homeowner has been ordered to remove a Virgin Mary shrine from her front-yard after her neighbour complained that dozens of people show up on the street every day to pray in front of it.

Remington Park resident Fadia Ibrahim has until Nov. 19 to remove the shrine after a city inspector called in by her neighbour George Kotevski, said it violated city regulations.

Kotevski, who lives next door, said his neighbourhood was becoming a circus, with daily prayer service on Ibrahim's property sometimes attracting dozens of visitors.

"I pay taxes, and I want peace and quiet," he said, adding shrine visitors walk on his lawn and often park their cars in front of his driveway.

Ibrahim says the Virgin Mary told her six months ago to erect the shrine.

People have come from near and far, some claiming they have been healed because of their prayers there, she said.

"I know, like, it's a statue …, but [it's] a miracle from God," Ibrahim said. "I feel it's hard for me to remove it. Virgin Mary asked me to put it here. But I don't have a choice."