A dying man asked a priest to bring him Communion. The priest irreverently placed the consecrated Host inside his prayer book. When he opened the book later, he found the pages stained with blood from the Host. The bloodstained pages are preserved in the Basilica of Santa Rita.
History
Around 1330, a peasant in the countryside near Cascia fell gravely ill and asked for a priest to bring him Holy Communion. A local priest agreed but, showing little reverence, placed the consecrated Host between the pages of his breviary (prayer book) rather than carrying it properly in a pyx. When the priest arrived at the sick man's home and opened his breviary, he discovered that the Host had bled, staining the pages of the book with blood. Overcome with remorse for his irreverence, the priest brought the bloodstained breviary to the Augustinian monks in Cascia. The relic was preserved and became an object of great devotion. It is now housed in the Basilica of Santa Rita da Cascia, alongside the relics of the beloved Saint Rita. The miracle serves as a powerful reminder of the Real Presence and the reverence due to the Blessed Sacrament.
Scientific Findings
The bloodstained pages of the breviary have been preserved for nearly 700 years. The blood stains remain clearly visible on the parchment pages. Historical documentation of the miracle has been maintained by the Augustinian community in Cascia.
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