CHICAGO -- Hundreds of people on Monday gathered at the Fullerton Avenue underpass on the Kennedy Expressway to see what they say is the image of the Virgin Mary.

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"When you come down here -- that's why I wanted to come down here and see for myself -- when you come down here and you see it, it's real," said Joanne Grablik, of Inverness. "It is beautiful."

State police said what the people are seeing is a salt stain from the Kennedy overhead, NBC5's Darren Kramer reported.

Obdulia Delgado said she was driving home along Fullerton Avenue on April 10 after getting off work at St. Elizabeth Hospital when she saw what she believes to be the Virgin Mary on the wall. She quickly pulled over and examined the form, and then began praying.

"Monday through Friday I go to school and Saturday and Sunday I work, so since I haven't been able to go to church, I asked her, 'Please help me with school because I'm having my finals,' but I felt like she was like, 'If you can come to me, I'm going to go to you,'" Delgado said.

Delgado said she rushed home and told her husband, Fidel, what she saw.

Fidel Delgado said he was skeptical of his wife's claim until the two went to the site.

"I was just stunned," Fidel Delgado said at the underpass Monday morning.

Since Obdulia Delgado discovered the image, there have been prayer services at the site, Kramer reported. People gathered on Monday to take pictures or touch the image. Some kneeled and prayed.

"I'm praying for everyone I know," said Monica Hammerschmidt, of Cicero. "And I feel like she's here."

Some people are not so sure that the Virgin Mary is under the Kennedy Expressway.

"That's just water runoff," said David Prawdizk. "I guess someone just happened to say, 'Hey, it looks like the Virgin Mary.''

Late last week, the couple, who live nearby the site, met with their priest from St. Francis of Assisi Church, Obdulia Delgado said.

The priest told the Delgados that the image should be seen as a positive aspect of their lives, even though other people might be skeptical or poke fun at their claim.

After meeting with the priest, the two felt determined to spread the word of the image and late Sunday about 100 people gathered and kneeled in prayer to see for themselves, Obdulia Delgado said.

The attention the wall has been receiving is new, but some say the image is not. There are some who said they have been coming and looking at the image for more than four years.

"People have seen me in the back of their car, making the sign of the cross, thinking I'm crazy," said Rebecca Abloce. "I have told people that, but I didn't want them to think I was crazy because the vision is clearer now than it was before."

Due to more pressing issues such as the conclave in the Vatican City to elect a new pope, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago had no immediate reaction to the Virgin Mary image, archdiocese spokesman Jim Dwyer said.

Dwyer said his office had been notified, but there were no planned activities or comments. He did not know which parish the image was found in.

There was some discussion early Monday about the city coming in and either painting over the image or power washing the image off due to the traffic congestion it has been causing. However, the area is under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Department of Transportation and officials there said that there are no plans to remove the image.

"Everybody's amazed. It's hard to begin to believe, but when you see it, it changed something in you. You believe in the faith," Snezna DiLorenz said.

"It's a miracle. It's an image of something ... you can't describe it," Jose Recinos said.

"We're here because the Virgin Mary is on the wall, and she's inside the wall, and we were just curious, but at the same time we're scared, wondering why she's there and what the meaning is of her being there," Annette Byrd said.

A Shakespeare District officer said she did not believe the image looked like anything and it was no more than a salt stain. Most passers-by needed a telephoto camera lens to get a better view.

Whatever the image presented, Illinois State Police District Chicago Sgt. Brian Windle said traffic in both directions along the Kennedy Expressway was unusually backed up for a Monday afternoon because of the image.

Many of the faithful who believe in the marking said it's all in what you choose to believe in.

"If this is something that is going to help someone have faith, then that's great," said Irma Elderado, of Chicago.

Police were at the scene Monday to keep an eye on the crowd.