The Catholic Church has formally recognized a Eucharistic miracle that occurred in 2013 at Christ the King Church in Vilakkannur, Kerala, India. The declaration came during a solemn liturgy on May 31 presided over by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, attended by 10,000 faithful.
Newsroom (04/06/2025 10:25 , Gaudium Press) The Eucharistic miracle dates to November 13, 2013, when Fr. Thomas Pathickal, a priest of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India, noticed the face of Christ imprinted on a consecrated host during Mass. The local Archdiocese of Tellicherry investigated the phenomenon and submitted its findings to the Holy See, which recently concluded the event was supernatural.
Archbishop Girelli, representing the Vatican, emphasized that the miracle reaffirms Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. “The risen Christ is present in His Church in many ways,” he said, “but in a special way through the sacrament of His body and blood.”
A Call for Unity Amid Liturgical Divisions
The recognition comes at a critical moment for the Syro-Malabar Church, which has faced internal divisions over liturgical reforms. Since 2021, the Church’s Synod has required priests to celebrate the Holy Qurbana (Eucharist) with a uniform rite: facing the people during the Liturgy of the Word and turning toward the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer. This change has sparked protests, particularly in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, where some clergy and laity resist the adjustment.
Archbishop Girelli urged reconciliation, stating: “The miracle of Vilakkannur reminds us that the Holy Qurbana is a sign of communion with God and unity among the faithful, not discord. How can we ignore that these tensions contradict the Eucharist, the sacrament of unity?”
He expressed hope that the church in Vilakkannur would become a pilgrimage site for Eucharistic adoration and a symbol of healing for the Syro-Malabar Church.
A Miracle Amid Skepticism and Faith
The May 31 celebration was marked by what many described as another small miracle—despite a red alert for heavy rains in Kerala’s Kannur district, the weather held during the outdoor liturgy. Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Tellicherry called this “a prodigious sign.”
However, some critics have dismissed the event as a fundraising tactic. Jose Kavi, editor of Matters India, told AsiaNews: “While skeptics exist, most believers see this as a true miracle. For them, nothing is impossible for the Lord.”
The Vilakkannur miracle is now India’s first officially recognized Eucharistic miracle, joining other globally documented cases like Lanciano (Italy) and Buenos Aires (Argentina).
A New Center for Eucharistic Devotion
Archbishop Girelli expressed hope that the site would become a hub for spiritual renewal, stating: “May this church become a place of reconciliation, unity, and deep Eucharistic worship for all of India.”
As pilgrims begin visiting Vilakkannur, the Church in Kerala looks to this miracle as both a divine sign and a call to heal its divisions—proving, once again, that even in times of conflict, faith can manifest in extraordinary ways.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Asianews.it
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