The Miracle
On August 14, 1730, thieves stole a ciborium containing 351 consecrated Hosts from the Basilica of San Francesco. The Hosts were found three days later in an offering box at the nearby Sanctuary of Santa Maria in Provenzano, covered in dust and cobwebs but perfectly intact. Nearly 300 years later, the Hosts remain fresh and uncorrupted — defying all natural laws of bread decomposition.
Scientific Findings
The Hosts of Siena have been subjected to rigorous scientific analysis multiple times. In 1789, a chemical analysis found the Hosts to be perfectly fresh, with no signs of decomposition. In 1914, Professor Siro Grimaldi of the University of Siena conducted extensive tests and declared that the Hosts were in a state of perfect conservation that could not be explained by natural means. Unleavened bread normally becomes stale and crumbles within a few years at most. In 1922, a formal canonical investigation confirmed the miraculous nature of the preservation. The most recent scientific examination was conducted in 2014, when the Hosts were found to still be in perfect condition after 284 years — a preservation that defies all known laws of physics and chemistry regarding organic matter decomposition.
My visit to Miracle of Siena
Standing in the church where the Eucharistic miracle of Miracle of Siena took place was overwhelming. In Siena, you can see the actual miraculous elements preserved behind glass. The scientific evidence is displayed alongside, which I found compelling.
October 29, 2025
My visit to Miracle of Siena
Standing in the church where the Eucharistic miracle of Miracle of Siena took place was overwhelming. In Siena, you can see the actual miraculous elements preserved behind glass. The scientific evidence is displayed alongside, which I found compelling.
October 20, 2025
My visit to Miracle of Siena
I visited the site of the Miracle of Siena miracle in Siena with some skepticism, I will admit. But seeing the preserved evidence up close, and reading the scientific analyses, gave me a lot to think about. The church itself is peaceful and well maintained.
February 20, 2025