Spain Gerona (1297)

The Priest’s Doubt: A Eucharistic Miracle Revealed

In 1297, a doubting priest at the Benedictine monastery of San Daniele experienced a miraculous transformation of the Eucharistic Host into Flesh during Mass. Witnessed by astonished nuns, the event affirmed the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This holy relic, later preserved in a reliquary, was tragically destroyed during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, yet the story endures as a powerful testament to faith.
The Miracle of Gerona

In the ancient Benedictine monastery of San Daniele, a profound Eucharistic miracle occurred that has since been known as the Miracle of Gerona. During a Mass, a priest experienced doubt regarding the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. When it came time for Communion, an extraordinary event unfolded: the consecrated Host transformed into Flesh in the priest’s mouth, preventing him from swallowing it.

The Holy Doubt

This miraculous event took place in 1297, witnessed by the nuns of the monastery. As they observed the Mass from their chapel, they noticed the priest struggling and displaying signs of confusion as he tried to consume the consecrated Host. One attentive nun, positioned above the altar, saw the priest discreetly remove something from his mouth, wrap it in the corporal, and place it on the corner of the altar.

Discovery and Confession

After the Mass, the nun quickly went to the altar to examine what the priest had concealed in the white cloth. To her astonishment, she discovered a small piece of flesh, dripping with blood. When confronted, the priest admitted his moment of doubt about the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He explained that as he placed the Holy Host in his mouth, it miraculously transformed, becoming so large and substantial that he could not swallow it. In his bewilderment, he wrapped it in the corporal and left it on the altar.

Preservation and Loss

This miraculous piece of Flesh was carefully placed in a reliquary and venerated by the faithful. The relic, along with a blood-stained cloth known as the “Sant Dubt” or “Holy Doubt,” was preserved for centuries as a testament to the miracle. Tragically, during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, many significant documents and relics related to this miracle, including the reliquary containing the Incarnate Host and the blood-soaked corporal, were destroyed.

Legacy of Faith

Despite the loss of these precious relics, the Miracle of Gerona remains a powerful testament to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It serves as a profound reminder of faith and the mysteries of the Catholic Church, inspiring devotion and belief in the Holy Eucharist.