Blessed Carlo Acutis had devised and created a beautiful traveling exhibition on Eucharistic Miracles. This exhibition continues to travel throughout Italy and the world; all the Eucharistic miracles featured in the exhibition have been collected in the book Eucharistic Miracles in the World, from which this text is taken.
In 1560, in Morrovalle (MC), a large fire destroyed the entire Franciscan church, except for the large host contained in a ciborium, which was also completely burned except for its lid.
In 1960, the fourth centenary of the Eucharistic miracle of Morrovalle was solemnly celebrated, and the municipal council unanimously resolved to place the inscription “Civitas Eucharistica” on the façade of Morrovalle’s main gate.
In Morrovalle, during the night between April 16 and 17, 1560, on the octave of Easter, at around 2:00 a.m., the lay brother Angelo Blasi was suddenly awakened by the sound of a violent crackling. Looking out the window of his cell, he saw that the church was completely engulfed in flames and immediately ran to alert the other friars. The fire was extinguished after seven hours, and only in the following days did work begin to clear away the immense mass of debris.
How great was the wonder when, on April 27, Father Battista of Ascoli, while removing a piece of marble from what had been the high altar, saw in the cavity of the wall the ciborium with the slightly scorched corporal on which the consecrated large Host was preserved, still intact and undamaged. Father Battista cried out that it was a miracle, and many people immediately rushed to the site to marvel at the prodigy. For three full days, the Blessed Sacrament remained exposed for the faithful to adore. When Father Evangelista of Morro d’Alba, the provincial superior, finally arrived, the miraculous Host was placed in an ivory box.
The bishop of Bertinoro (FC) at the time, Monsignor Ludovico of Forlì, was immediately sent by Pope Pius IV to Morrovalle to investigate the truth of the events. As soon as Pope Pius IV received the bishop’s report, he judged the event to be beyond any natural explanation and authorized its veneration by issuing the bull Sacrosanta Romana Ecclesia (1560). According to the provisions contained in the papal bull, the anniversaries of the fire and the discovery of the most holy Host (April 17 and 27) became feast days and were called the “Two Pardons.” The church was later enlarged because of the multitude of faithful who flocked to the celebrations. Today, the anniversaries of these two dates are celebrated with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the reliquary on the high altar, and the Pardons, that is, the two plenary indulgences, can be obtained in the church of San Bartolomeo. The miraculous Host remained intact until 1600, but due to historical events, all trace of the miraculous Host was lost after that date. Today, only the reliquary and the lid of the ciborium, which survived the flames, remain.
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