Did a miracle really occur in this small Misamis Oriental parish?

It was unexplainable, and downright miraculous, how nearly 20,000 people went to church at the Mother of Perpetual Help in Misamis Oriental last September 8.

The day was special because of Mother Mary's birthday, but parish priest Father Nats said that the number is wholly unprecedented.

He said that it might have been because it was an archbishop that conducted the mass.

"Ang nag-misa rito ang archbishop kaya siguro maraming tao. Pero nagulat talaga kami dahil sa hindi inaasahan. Ang dami nila. Galing pa ng iba’t ibang bahagi ng probinsya ang mga dumalo," he said in an episode of Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho.

But that's not the most hair-raising part of the evening.

Several people have claimed that they saw — or at least felt — the presence of Mary herself!

Choir member Dela Paz claimed she unexplainably got goosebumps and believes she felt the presence of the Virgin Mary.

"Naniniwala ako na si Mama Mary talaga ‘yun. Bata pa lang kasi ako, deboto na ako kahit yung pangalan ko kinuha sa pangalan ng isang birhen," she said.

Sacristan and youth leader Vern went as far as to say that he even saw her.

"Habang nagsisimba nakita ko na siya na parang malaking Mama Mary pero hindi ko naman talaga pinansin. Hindi kasi ako agad naniniwala sa mga ganyan-ganyan," he said.

"Hindi ko maaninag yung itsura, basta babaeng maganda na parang naka-pray," he added.

Meanwhile, 12 year old Miric actually mistook the image as a white lady.

"Kinabahan po ako...Akala ko po white lady doon sa taas ng puno," she said.

But she also described the image as a pretty lady with a hood who seems to be in prayer.

Other kids also claimed that they witnessed the miracle.

One even claimed to have taken a photo of the amazing event.

In the photo, the image of Mary could be seen in the clouds.

Unsurprisingly, the photo quickly went viral.

But where did the photo really come from?

The KMJS team took the photo to a photo expert who conducted an investigation.

And the verdict is...fake! At least according to the photo expert.

But the child who was in possession of the photo insisted that he did not edit the said photo.

Believers also maintained that the incident changed nothing — they are still devotees of Mama Mary.

After all, they don't need a miracle to uphold their faith. — Jessica Bartolome/LA, GMA News