The Bleeding Host of Santarem: A Miracle of Blood and Light

Introduction

The Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem, along with that of Lanciano, is considered one of the most significant miracles in the Catholic Church. Numerous studies and canonical analyses have been conducted on these relics. The Host transformed into bleeding flesh, and blood flowed from it. These relics are preserved to this day in the Church of St. Stephen in Santarem.

Papal Recognition

Several Popes have granted plenary indulgences to this Eucharistic miracle, including Pius IV, St. Pius V, Pius VI, and Pope Gregory XIV. Today, visitors can still admire these precious relics in the Church of St. Stephen.

The Miracle's Origin

According to a document commissioned by King Alfonso IV in 1346, the miracle occurred on February 16, 1266. A young woman in Santarem, overcome with jealousy for her husband, consulted a sorceress who instructed her to steal a consecrated Host from the church to use for a love potion. The woman did as she was told, hiding the Host in a linen cloth, which immediately became stained with blood. Frightened, she ran home and found the Blood gushing from the Host. She stored the Particle in a drawer in her bedroom.

That night, the drawer began to emit brilliant rays of light, illuminating the room as if it were daytime. Her husband, noticing the phenomenon, questioned his wife, who confessed everything. The next day, the couple informed the pastor, who retrieved the Host and returned it to the Church of St. Stephen in a solemn procession, accompanied by many religious and laypeople.

Subsequent Miracles

The Host bled for three consecutive days and was then placed in a beautiful reliquary made of beeswax. In 1340, another miracle occurred: the priest found the beeswax vase broken into pieces, replaced by a crystal vase containing the Blood mixed with wax. The Sacred Host is now preserved in an 18th-century Eucharistic throne above the main altar. The Church of St. Stephen is now known as the Shrine of the Holy Miracle.

Throughout the centuries, the Host has occasionally emitted new flows of Blood and displayed various images of Our Lord. Among the witnesses to these prodigies was St. Francis Xavier, the apostle of the Indies, who visited the shrine before embarking on his missions.

Annual Procession and Legacy

Since the miracle occurred, the precious relic has been processed annually from the couple's former home to the Church of St. Stephen on the second Sunday of April. The couple's home was converted into a chapel in 1684, further cementing the legacy of this miraculous event.

The Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem remains a powerful testament to faith, inspiring countless believers and attracting pilgrims from around the world.