The Suspended Hosts of Poznan: A Tale of Miraculous Light

The Desecration

In 1399, in the city of Poznan, three consecrated Hosts were stolen by desecrators intent on defacing them. The Hosts were struck with hole-punchers, causing them to bleed. Despite the efforts to destroy them, the Hosts remained intact. Fearing discovery, the malefactors cast the Hosts into a marsh. To their amazement, the Hosts were suspended in the air, radiating bright flashes of light. Only after fervent prayers did the bishop succeed in recovering the Hosts, which can still be venerated today at the Church of Corpus Christi in Poznan.

The Theft

Profaners with a deep hatred for the Christian faith convinced a domestic helper to steal three consecrated Hosts from the Dominican (now Jesuit) church in Poznan. Enticed by a large reward, the woman succeeded in her task. The desecrators took the Hosts to the basement of their mansion, where they beat them with a hole-puncher. To their shock, blood began to drip from the Hosts, splashing onto a blind girl in the group, who immediately regained her sight.

The Miracle Unfolds

Panicked and unable to destroy the Hosts, the desecrators decided to cast them into a marsh near the Warta River. A young shepherd passing by saw the luminous Hosts suspended in the air. He rushed home to inform his father and the local authorities. The burgomaster, initially skeptical, had the boy jailed. However, the shepherd mysteriously escaped and again reported the miracle. This time, the burgomaster believed him and went to witness the event.

The Bishop's Intervention

By then, the entire population had gathered around the miraculous Hosts. Bishop Wojciech Jastrzebiec, after fervent prayers, succeeded in recovering the Hosts, which descended into the pyx he held. The bishop organized a solemn procession to escort the Hosts to St. Mary Magdalene Church. At the site of the miracle, a wooden chapel was built, becoming a pilgrimage destination.

Royal Devotion

King Wladyslaw Jagiello, upon hearing of the miracle, visited Poznan to venerate the Hosts. As a sign of devotion, he ordered the construction of the Church of Corpus Christi (Corpus Domini) at the miracle site. In the 19th century, a shrine was built on the site of the old mansion where the desecration occurred, preserving the table with the bloodstains from the Hosts.

Ongoing Veneration

Every Thursday, a procession with the Blessed Sacrament takes place at Corpus Domini Church to commemorate the miracle. The Miraculous Hosts of Poznan remain a powerful testament to the divine and continue to inspire faith and devotion among pilgrims.