Italy Turin (1453)

The Miracle of the Floating Host: A 15th Century Wonder in Turin

In 1453, during a tumultuous period in the Alta Val Susa, a soldier stole a consecrated Host from a church and carried it to Turin. As the thief's mule stumbled in the town square, the bag containing the Host opened, and the monstrance rose into the air, astonishing the townspeople. The Bishop, alerted by Don Bartholomew Coccolo, arrived to witness the miracle. As he prayed, the Host descended into a chalice he held, glowing like a second sun. This event led to the construction of the Corpus Domini Basilica and remains a celebrated miracle in Turin's history.

The Miracle

Inside the Corpus Domini Basilica in Turin, an iron railing encloses the site of the first Eucharistic miracle in Turin, which occurred on June 6, 1453. An inscription within the railing describes the miracle:

"Here the she-mule, that was carrying the Divine Body, fell prostrate - here the Sacred Host, having freed Itself from the bag that was imprisoning It, rose by Itself high - here clement came down among the suppliant hands of the Torineses - here then the place made holy by the miracle - remembering it, praying on your knees let it move you to venerate or to be in fear."

Historical Context

In the Alta Val Susa near Exilles, the army of René D'Angiò encountered the army of Duke Ludovic of Savoy. The soldiers plundered the town, and some entered the church. One soldier forced open the tabernacle, stole the monstrance with the consecrated Host, and wrapped it in a bag. He placed the bag on a mule and headed for Turin.

The Event

On the main plaza near St. Sylvester’s church (now the Holy Spirit church), where the Church of Corpus Domini was later built, the mule stumbled and fell. The bag opened, and the monstrance with the consecrated Host rose over the surrounding houses, filling the people with wonder. Among those present was Don Bartholomew Coccolo, who quickly informed the Bishop, Ludovic of the Romagnano’s Marquises.

The Bishop, accompanied by a cortege of people and clergy, went to the plaza, prostrated himself in adoration, and prayed with the words of the Emmaus disciples, “Stay with us, Lord.” Meanwhile, another miracle occurred: the monstrance fell to the ground, releasing the consecrated Host, which shone like a second sun. The Bishop, holding a chalice, lifted it high, and the consecrated Host slowly descended into the chalice.

Commemoration

The town's devotion to the miracle led to the construction of an aedicule on the site, eventually replaced by the Church of Corpus Domini. Celebrations were organized for the centenaries and fiftieth anniversaries (1653, 1703, 1853, and partially 1803). Numerous documents describe the miracles, including the three Capitulary Acts of 1454, 1455, and 1456, and contemporary writings of the Turin Municipality.

In 1853, Pope Pius IX solemnly celebrated the fourth centenary of the miracle, with participation from Saint John Bosco and Don Rua. Pius IX approved the Office and the Mass Proper of the miracle for the Turin archdiocese. In 1928, Pope Pius XI elevated the Church of Corpus Domini to the dignity of a minor basilica.

The Host of the miracle was kept until the 15th century when the Holy See ordered its consumption, to avoid obliging God to perform an eternal miracle by keeping the Eucharistic species incorrupt.

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