Blood, Mystery, and Miracles: The Unexplained Events at St. Mary's

The First Miracle: May 1992 at St. Mary's

In 1992, on the first of May, something remarkable happened during the Friday Mass at St. Mary's in Buenos Aires. An Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, while assisting the priest, noticed fragments of a consecrated Host on the altar’s corporal. Following Church protocol, the priest carefully gathered the pieces and placed them in a small vessel filled with water, then set the vessel in the tabernacle to wait for the fragments to dissolve. For several days, priests checked the vessel, but nothing changed. However, on Friday, May 8, a stunning transformation took place. When the tabernacle was opened, the Host fragments were no longer bread—they had turned a deep reddish color, resembling blood. Just two days later, on Sunday, May 10, during the evening Mass, small droplets of blood appeared on the patens, the metal plates used by priests to distribute Communion.

The Second Miracle: July 1994

Two years later, on July 24, 1994, another mystery unfolded during the children’s Mass at St. Mary's. An Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion opened the tabernacle to retrieve the pyx, the small container used to hold consecrated Hosts. As they did, they were stunned to see a single drop of blood running down the side of the pyx.

The Third Miracle: August 1996

Then, on August 15, 1996, during the Feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Virgin, another profound event occurred at St. Mary's. A consecrated Host fell to the ground during the distribution of Communion. Following the Church's procedure, the priest placed the Host in a vessel filled with water to dissolve. But on August 26, when the tabernacle was opened, the Host had not dissolved. Instead, it had transformed into what appeared to be blood.

The Investigation Begins: October 1999

These events gained the attention of many, including Ron Tesoriero, an investigator and documentarian. On October 5, 1999, Ron traveled to Buenos Aires to investigate these extraordinary phenomena at St. Mary's. At the invitation of Dr. Ricardo Castañon, he interviewed witnesses, including the priest involved in the incidents, Padre Alejandro Pezet. They collected samples from the transformed Hosts and carefully documented the events, treating the case with the precision of a legal investigation, ensuring every detail was meticulously recorded.

Puzzling DNA Results: 1999–2000

In October 1999, Ron submitted the tissue for DNA analysis. By May 2000, the lab confirmed the presence of human DNA but could not extract a clear genetic code, an unusual result that left many scientists puzzled. Ron, determined to understand the mystery, delved deeply into forensic pathology and cell biology. Through extensive research, he discovered that the inflamed heart tissue he had studied closely resembled tissue from a heart under severe trauma—quite distinct from the images of normal, healthy heart tissue typically seen in textbooks.

Seeking Theological Insight

Ron sought insight from theologians to understand the significance of these occurrences within the Catholic faith. One theologian explained that the Eucharist is a memorial of Jesus Christ’s Passion, death, and resurrection. When Catholics receive Communion, they believe they are receiving the resurrected Christ. These miraculous transformations seemed to point directly to Christ’s living presence in the Eucharist, emphasizing His heart’s suffering and love.

Scientific Inquiry: April 2004

To further explore the phenomenon scientifically, Ron turned to Dr. Frederick Zugibe, a renowned expert in forensic pathology and cardiology. On April 20, 2004, Ron, accompanied by Australian investigative journalist Mike Willesee, presented the samples to Dr. Zugibe. The doctor, unaware of the samples’ origins, examined them under a microscope. To everyone’s astonishment, he found that the tissue was human heart muscle—specifically, the myocardium from the left ventricle wall, a vital part of the heart responsible for pumping blood. Even more surprising, the heart tissue was inflamed and infiltrated with white blood cells, indicating trauma. Dr. Zugibe was amazed by the preservation of the cells, which he noted should not have survived in water for such an extended period without breaking down.

Science Meets Faith

The results left the scientific community stunned. Mike Willesee, reflecting on the investigation, remarked, “When bread, which is supposed to remain inert, suddenly becomes living human heart tissue, it’s more than just a moment of amazement—it’s a day that science finds traumatic. For the first time, life has appeared from non-living matter.”

Returning to Dr. Zugibe: April 2004

With this revelation in mind, Ron returned to Dr. Zugibe. The expert reaffirmed his original conclusion: the tissue was indeed heart muscle, specifically from the left ventricle, and it showed clear signs of trauma, as if it had been taken from a living heart in the midst of suffering.

The Final Report: March 2005

In March 2005, Dr. Zugibe submitted his formal report, detailing that the tissue exhibited signs of degenerative changes to the myocardium, which suggested that the heart tissue had suffered from a lack of oxygen, possibly due to a traumatic injury or a severe blow to the chest.

Conclusion: A Convergence of Faith and Science

These discoveries, both scientific and mystical, offered an unprecedented convergence of faith and science. Ron Tesoriero published his findings in his book, My Human Heart: Where Science and Faith Collide, and documented the investigation in a series of documentaries. For believers, these miracles reinforced the Church’s teachings on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and for scientists, they posed profound questions about the nature of life itself.

Ron Tesoriero has published his findings in a new book, My Human Heart: Where Science and Faith Collide, and in documentaries available at Reason to Believe. You can also watch the documentary on the official investigation at: YouTube.