THE MIRACLE OF THE EUCHARIST - Santarem, Portugal
Around the year 1225 there was a woman living in Santarem, who was
very unhappy with her marriage. She was convinced that her husband
did not love her, and was unfaithful. After many prayers and no
relief from her problems, she turned to a sorceress for help.
The sorceress promised the wife that her husband would return to his
loving ways, if the wife would bring her a Consecrated Host.
The woman was aware of the grave offense to God, and was frightened
with the prospect of committing a horrible sacrilege but
unfortunately gave in to temptation. She went to Mass at the Church
of St. Stephen, and received Communion, but did not consume the Host.
Instead, she left the Church immediately, and took the Host out of her
mouth, putting It into her veil.
As she headed for the sorceress' cave, the first miracle occurred.
Within moments, blood began to issue from the host. The amount of
blood was such that it soon dripped from the cloth and attracted the
attention of bystanders who asked if she needed assistance. Becoming
even more frightened by the unexpected turn of events, she hurried
home instead of the sorcerer's cave, and put the veil with the host
in a wooden chest in the bedroom.
The second miracle took place that very night when both she and her
husband were awakened by a mysterious light penetrating through the
wooden chest. The woman then confessed her sin to her husband and
they both spent the remainder of the night on their knees in
adoration. The following morning, the parish priest was informed and
people rushed to the house to contemplate the Holy Miracle. The
priest brought the host back to the church in solemn procession,
placed it in a small case of wax; and deposited it in the tabernacle.
A Church investigation was promptly organized.
A third miracle occurred later when the priest opened the tabernacle
door and found the wax container had broken into small pieces. In its
place was a beautiful crystal pyx with the blood of the host inside.
The pyx is approximately 1/2" thick and 2" in diameter, crystalline
clear and with a small protrusion on the side that contains the
largest collection of blood. It is irregularly shaped crystal through
which can be seen the real flesh with delicate veins running from top
to bottom and a quantity of blood which is collected at one end.
It was later placed in a gold and silver pear-shaped monstrance with
a sunburst of 33 rays where it remains today. The reliquary that
houses the miraculous Host rests above the tabernacle, and can be
viewed atop a set of stairs from behind the main altar.
After the investigation and approval by the Church authorities, the
Church of St. Stephen was renamed "The Church of the Holy Miracle."
The little house where the miracle occurred was on Via delle Stuoie
in Santarem.
From the time of the miracle until now, every year, on the Second
Sunday of April, the incident is re-enacted by local actors. The
actual Eucharistic Miracle is processed from the house, which was
converted into a Chapel in 1684, to the Church. Miraculously, after
750 years, the precious blood still remains in liquid form, defying
the natural laws of science. The Host is somewhat irregularly shaped,
resembling real flesh with delicate veins running from top to bottom,
where a quantity of blood is collected in the crystal.
This case, along with many other Eucharistic miracles, gives witness
to the real presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
Topic: Eucharistic Miracle (Read 2027 times)