BOLSENA

ITALY, 1264

Eucharistic Miracle of

In 1263 a German priest,

Peter of Prague, stopped at

Bolsena while on a pilgrimage

to Rome. He was celebrating

Mass in the Basilica of

Bolsena, and when the

moment of consecration

arrived, the Host was

transformed into Flesh. This

miracle strengthened the

wavering belief of the priest in

the Real Presence of Christ in

the Eucharist. The Sacred

Body was inspected by Urban

Pope IV and by St. Thomas

Aquinas. This miracle helped

convince the Pope to extend

the feast of Corpus Christi to

the universal Church so that

everyone could recognize the

love God has for those who

love and worship him.

he Eucharistic miracle of Bolsena, depicted

by Raphael in a well-known fresco in the

Vatican Palace, took place in 1263. A

German priest, Peter of Prague, stopped at

Bolsena while on a pilgrimage to Rome. He was

pious, but he found it difficult to accept that

Christ was actually present in the consecrated

Host. While celebrating Holy Mass above the

tomb of St. Christina (located in the church

named for this martyr), he spoke the words of

consecration and immediately Blood started to

seep from the consecrated Host and trickle over

his hands and onto the altar. At first the priest

tried to hide the Blood, but eventually he

interrupted the Mass and asked to be taken to the

neighboring city of Orvieto, where Pope Urban

IV resided.

The Pope sent emissaries to investigate.

When

the facts were ascertained, he ordered the

bishop of the diocese to bring the Host and

the linen cloth bearing the stains of Blood to

him. He had the relics placed in the cathedral.

The linen bearing the spots of Blood is still

reverently enshrined and exhibited in the

Cathedral of Orvieto.

Pope Urban IVwas prompted by

this miracle to commission St. Thomas Aquinas

to compose the Office for the Mass and Liturgy

of the Hours to celebrate the Most Holy Body

of the Lord (Corpus Christi). One year after the

miracle, in August of 1264, Pope Urban IV

introduced the Aquinus’s composition, and by

means of a papal bull instituted the feast of

Corpus Christi.

© 2006, Istituto San Clemente I Papa e Martire / The Real Presence Association, Inc.

Church of Saint Christina of

Bolsena, the altar where the

Miracle took place

Cathedral of Saint Christina

of Bolsena

The Procession over the Riochiaro Bridge,

(artist : Ugolino d’Ilario). Orvieto Cathedral

T

Colorful displays in honor of the Miracle

BOLSENA

ITALY, 1264

When the facts

were ascertained,

he ordered the

bishop of the

diocese to bring

the Host and

the linen cloth

bearing the stains

of Blood to him.

Francesco Trevisani.

The Miracle of Bolsena,

detail

Parchment from the period

of the Miracle, notorized by

Cesare Severo Durantino

Detail of the Reliquarium

Reliquiarium of the Body, artist : Ugolino d’Ilario’s studio

(1338), Orvieto

Tabernacle containting the Blood-stained relics of the Miracle,

Bolsena

Detail of the blood-stained stone, Bolsena

Orvieto Cathedral, Chapple of the Sacred Body

Inside the Orvieto Cathedral

Fragments of the Host of the Miracle

Detail of the Mass of Bolsena.

Raffaello (1513), Vatican Museums

Public adoration in honor of the Feast of Corpus Christi, Orvieto

Painting by Francesco Trevisani

Painting of Saint Messa of

Bolsena by Francesco Robbio.

From the Collection of the

Museum of the Diocese of Milan

John Paul II during

the pastoral visit to Orvieto

(June 17, 1990

Eucharistic Miracle of

© 2006, Istituto San Clemente I Papa e Martire / The Real Presence Association, Inc.