One of the most spectacular Eucharistic miracles took place in Lanciano, Italy. It took place around 700 A.D. in a monastery. The priest offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass had difficulty believing the mystery of Transubstantiation. When the doubting priest said the sacred words of Consecration over the bread and wine, God decided to show him (and all of us) the real truth of Transubstantiation. Before his eyes, the Host was visibly changed into human flesh, and the Wine in the chalice was visibly changed into human blood. The priest was utterly astonished to see the Flesh in his hands and to see the Blood in the chalice. He cried out joyously,

“O fortunate witnesses, to whom the Blessed God, to confound my unbelief, has wished to reveal Himself visible to our eyes! Come and marvel at our God, so close to us. Behold the Flesh and Blood of our Most Beloved Christ.”

The people rushed forward and they all marveled at the wondrous miracle. The word of the miracle soon spread throughout the town and many people came to witness the miracle.

The Blood in the chalice soon hardened into five separate pellets of different sizes and shapes. The monks obtained a scale, and began to weigh the pellets. They discovered another astonishing miracle. Any one of the pellets weighed as much as all five together. Any two weighed the same as any three of them, and the smallest one weighed just as much as the largest. This shows us that after the Consecration, Jesus truly is present in even the smallest particle of the Sacred Host or drop of Precious Blood as He is in a huge Host or a full chalice.

Many times, this miracle has been tested to see if it is really a miracle. Professor Odoardo Linoli, M.D., and Doctor Rugerro Bertelli studied this miracle and learned many things. The Flesh was discovered to be muscular tissue from a living human heart free of preservation. The Blood was both found to be living human blood belonging to the blood type AB. This blood type is labeled “universal receiver” because anyone with this blood can receive blood for transfusions from anyone. This shows us that Jesus can, and wants to receive love and obedience from every person.

This Eucharistic miracle can be viewed today at the Church now named for Saint Francis in Lanciano, Italy. This miracle is a sign of Christ’s love for us. It is a memorial to the truth of Christ’s words,

“This is My Body…This is My Blood.”

This is proof that Christ wanted His words to be taken literally, and shows that He is undoubtedly present in the Holy Eucharist. It shows that we truly receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, our God and Redeemer in Holy Communion.