Miracles instill wonder and awe by accomplishing that which cannot normally be accomplished. They often come in times of need, when the doubting Thomases in us begin to emerge, or when a large group of people is introduced to the Lord for the first time. Though the Eucharist itself is an unmatched miracle, there have been many strange occurances that have inspired others to believe the church doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (the belief that God is substantially present there, and not merely in a symbolic way).
The Feast of Corpus Christi, where we celebrate the Real Presence of Christ, arose from one such miracle in 1263, and is still recognized as a public holiday in many historically Catholic countries. Below are several of the most important Eucharistic miracles and their lasting impact to the present day.
The Miracle of Bolsena: This miracle took place in Bolsena, Italy in 1263; it’s widely regarded as the most impactful Eucharistic miracle. A priest, Peter of Prague, had doubts about the validity of transubstantiation. During the consecration, blood flowed from the host and onto Peter’s garments. Pope Urban IV investigated the miracle and confirmed it to be authentic. Peter of Prague’s garments are on display at the cathedral of Orvieto, Italy. Famously, St. Thomas Aquinas recommended the creation of the Feast of Corpus Christi after this miracle took place. Before the miracle, Blessed Juliana of Cornillon, Belgium, envisioned the full moon with a dark spot, which represented the lack of a great feast in honor of Corpus Christi. Pope Urban IV remembered her vision, which corroborated Aquinas’ recommendation, when instituting the Feast.
The Miracle of Blanot: During a 1331 Easter celebration in Blanot, France, a woman named Jacquette was the last to receive Communion. The host fell from her mouth right after distribution and landed on a cloth in her hands. The priest found the woman still kneeling and couldn’t find the Eucharist—only a spot of blood on the cloth remained. The spot occupied the place of the host and refused to be washed out, leading the priest to cut out the bloodspot and leave it in the Tabernacle along with the consecrated hosts that still remained. The cloth is still displayed every year at St. Martin’s church in Blanot on the Feast of Corpus Christi.
The Miracle of Santarem: Eucharistic miracles are not limited to the emission of blood, as seen in 1247 in Santarem, Portugal, when a host also emitted light. A woman, doubting her husband’s faithfulness, visited a local sorceress, who claimed her problems would be solved if the wife brought back a consecrated host, rather than eating it. On her way from Mass, the host began to bleed through the cloth the woman had placed it in, making it unusable for a pagan ritual. The woman was regretful and, upon bringing the host to her home instead, found that the Eucharist emitted a bright light from her drawer. The light attracted many, including the priest, who took the host back to the church and placed it in wax. Still, it continued to bleed. The woman’s house was converted into a chapel in 1684, and the reliquary that contains the host is still visible to the public in the Church of St. Stephen in Santarem. It is a sign of God’s Real Presence through transubstantiation, and a reminder of the veracity of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Grant is a senior studying Information Systems at the Carroll School of Management. He keeps busy by studying and writing for The Torch.
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