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GREENSBORO — Her arms outstretched, Mary stood welcoming all who passed her on West Market Street.

But sometime early Wednesday, the 5-foot statue of the mother of Jesus was stolen from her concrete pedestal next to Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church.

Her whereabouts — and who stole her — is unknown, said Tom Johnson, the parish business manager.

The bronze-colored statue of Mary, with arms extended at her sides and palms open, is known as "Our Lady of Grace." It was originally placed in a garden next to the church in 1998. Mary stood on top of a pedestal that includes quotations from Pope John Paul II.

But two years after it was erected, a limb crashed down in a storm and destroyed the statue. It was replaced that year at a cost of $3,000, Johnson said.

When it was replaced, the fiberglass statue was secured to guard against future storm damage, he said. But the church never anticipated the heavy statue — where parishioners place flowers and sit and pray — would be stolen.

"We thought we had done a fairly good job of making it sturdy," Johnson said. "We never dreamed someone would steal it."

He thinks the people responsible may have taken the statue down by pulling on the shoulders or head.

This is isn't the first time a statue has been stolen from the church, Johnson said. Last year, a 2-foot metal statue of St. Francis of Assisi was stolen.

Johnson has no idea how or why the statue was taken or who the culprits are. But he is fairly certain of one thing: "I don't believe anybody stole it because they love Mary."

He's not hopeful that Mary will be returned. The church will replace the statue, which will likely cost several thousand dollars.

"For me it's just impossible to understand why anybody would steal from a church, but it happens," Johnson said.

Contact Amy Dominello at 373-7091 or adominello@news-record.com