A woman stole a consecrated Host to use in a love spell. As she carried it home wrapped in a cloth, the Host began to bleed profusely. Frightened, she hid it in a trunk, but during the night a mysterious light emanated from the trunk. The Host has been preserved for over 750 years and continues to show traces of blood.
History
In 1247, a woman from Santarém, desperate to win back her unfaithful husband, consulted a sorceress who told her to steal a consecrated Host from church to use in a love potion. During Mass at the Church of St. Stephen, the woman received Communion but secretly removed the Host from her mouth and wrapped it in her veil. As she walked home, blood began to drip from the cloth, alarming passersby. She rushed home and hid the bleeding Host in a wooden trunk. That night, rays of brilliant light streamed from the trunk, waking her and her husband. They knelt in prayer before the miraculous Host until morning, when the parish priest was summoned. The Host was carried in solemn procession back to the Church of St. Stephen, where it has been venerated ever since. The church was later renamed the Church of the Holy Miracle. Over the centuries, the Host has been examined multiple times and continues to show traces of blood. It is preserved in a crystal reliquary and remains one of Portugal's most important Eucharistic shrines.
Scientific Findings
The Host has been preserved for over 750 years without decomposing, which itself is considered remarkable. Examinations over the centuries have confirmed the presence of blood on and around the Host. The blood appears to have partially liquefied on several occasions throughout history. In 1340, the Host was found to be exuding fresh blood when the reliquary was opened for inspection. Scientific studies in the modern era have confirmed the organic nature of the blood stains.
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