From a Polish reader, comes a translation of a piece on Kronika Novus Ordo about a Eucharistic miracle:
?roda, 14 pa?dziernik 2009
Eucharist Miracle in Sokolka – Curia speaks
For our English speaking readers we have:Communication from the Metropolitan Curia of Bialystok on the case of Eucharistic phenomena in Sokó?ka
Metropolitan Curia of Bialystok announces that the Ecclesial Commission appointed by Archbishop Edward Ozorowski (on 30 March 2009) to investigate the phenomena of the Eucharist in Sokó?ka has just completed its work. It examined and interrogated the witnesses and the patomorphology experts. Here follow conclusions.
1. On 12 October 2008 a consecrated Host fell out of hands of priest distributing Holy Communion. He has picked It up and placed in the vasculum in tabernacle. After the Mass, vasculum with contents has been transferred to the safe in sacristy.
2. On 19 October 2008 after opening the safe one could see a red stain on the Host, giving the impression of being the blood stain.
3. On 29 October 2008 the vessel with Host was transferred to the tabernacle in the chapel of the rectory. Next day The Host has been removed from the water and placed on the corporal in the tabernacle.
4. On 7 January 2009 the sample from the Host has been taken and examined independently by two professionals in patomorfology of Medical University in Bialystok. They have issued a common statement as follows: "the sample sent to assess (…) in our opinion (PhD. Maria Sobaniec-?otowska and Prof. PhD. Stanislaw Sulkowski) looks like the myocardial tissue, at least of all the tissues of living organisms it most resembles."
5. The Commission found that the Host, which was sampled for the assessment is the same that has been moved from the sacristy to the tabernacle in the chapel of the rectory. Third party intervention was not found.
Files of this case has been submitted to the Apostolic Nunciature in Warsaw.
The Case of Sokolka does not oppose to the faith of the Church, rather confirms it. Church believes that the words of consecration, by the power of the Holy Spirit, transform a bread into the Body of Christ and wine into His Blood. It also provides a call to ministers of the Holy Communion to distribute the Body of Christ with faith and attention and to faithful – to receive It with reverence.
Fr. Andrew Kakareko
Chancellor
Sort of like the miracle of Lanciano, no?
We will need to follow this.
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This is really something. Regardless of the strength or weakness of one’s faith, it is always something of a challenge to comprehend events like this. There is no doubt that something like this certainly CAN happen, however part of me always forces me to consider the great possibility of some kind of fraud, as much as I want to believe that this really happened. How do the investigators determine what really happened? Do they have to go on the word of witnesses? I feel like such a “doubting Thomas” for asking such a question….
Perhaps Almighty God has heard the recent prayers for greater devotion and reverence to the Most Holy Eucharist?
I’m Benedictine-trained liturgical geek, but I’ve never heard of a “vasculum”. Could someone please clarify?
Rob,
Back in biology I remember a vasculum as being a container that was used to keep the moisture in something. It was cool and humid inside the container.
Hmmm….from Merriam Webster online…
Main Entry: vas·cu·lum
Pronunciation: \?vas-ky?-l?m\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural vas·cu·la \-l?\
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, small vessel
Date: 1782
: a usually metal and commonly cylindrical or flattened covered box used in collecting plants
Wonder if something got lost in translation?
A vasculum is a small container, filled with water, used to dissolve a host that has been dropped or that must otherwise be disposed of (if that’s not the right terminology, I apologize to anyone who may be offended — if I knew the right way to say it, I’d have said it). After the host dissolves, the water is poured down the sacrarium.
For the dictionary definitions cited by others, I can only say that yes, biologists and botanists do refer to their collection container as a “vasculum” but that’s not what is meant here. Vasculum is just a Latin word meaning “a vessel” — its use in the Church is very specific to the use I described. While I suppose other containers might be acceptable, you can buy a vasculum from liturgical supply houses.
A similar recent event in Argentina, described in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbg_dhI4XCs
Just wondering from a purely scientific viewpoint: if the bread did become tissue, could one obtain Jesus’ DNA?
A vasculum is a little cup, usually with a lip, that sits next to the tabernacle. It has some water in it. The priest (etc.) can purify his fingers in the cup after handling the Blessed Sacrament. When Hosts fall to the ground, if they are not consumed immediately, they are placed in a vasculum, in the water, to dissolve completely before being poured down the sacrarium. That is what was going on here.
The first thing to note is that the Host did not dissolve!
It would be interesting to do a little experiment with an unconsecrated communion host in a cup of water and then with photos document how long it takes to dissolve.
Now that is some really heavy stuff.
Of course we’ll hear more about it via the MSM on the six o’clock news, right?
John Paul II had thought that Poland would eventually restore faith in Europe. St. Faustina even had a vision in which Christ told her that Poland would be the spark that would light the world. Pope B-XVI views Poland as one of the last “in-tact” Catholic cultures.
The Poles saved Christendom from the Mongols (1241), the Turks (1683), and Soviets (1920) on the battlefield. They also did good work halting the spread of the Reformation (i.e. the Sweedish army) into central Europe. Likewise the Solidarity movement brought about a peacful end to the Cold War.
Many times in history Poland has played a pivotal role for our Faith. Fr. Z is right, we’ll have to watch this closely.
Thank you for the vocabulary lesson, Fr. Z. I suspected it was such, but was unsure.
It is an interesting timeline, since the host being in water for thirteen days without disolving, and began to show a red stain at day 7. Furthermore the apparent myocaridal tissue did not undergo decay.
On days like these, I wish I could suspend my apologetical mind and ignore consideration of the skeptics, so as to simply appreciate that which may be true.
Having to consider the “Devil’s Advocate” can be such a burden. Oh, for a simple faith!
My Lord and my God!
Let’s assume, for the time being, that the miracle was real and we now have small piece of Our Blessed Lord’s Flesh in a vasculum in Sokolka.
I think we may be missing a piece of the back story here.
Remember that famous Eucharistic miracle in Italy, sometime in the 1200s – 1300s? I’m forgetting the name of the place. The point is that miracle was “prompted,” for lack of a better word, by a priest’s doubt in the doctrine of the Real Presence. He expresses his doubt, then one day he’s confecting the elements at the Holy Sacrifice and — boom, there’s His Human Flesh right in front of the priest.
Now, what I’m wondering is: Did something similar “prompt” this miracle? Or did Our Divine Lord just decide to be gratuitously miraculous in the Archdiocese of Bialystok? It’s wonderful either way; I’m just wondering about The Rest of the Story (as Paul Harvey would say).
I wonder aloud:
1) How and what type of testing can be done on a consecrated host so that proper reverence and respect are shown?
2) Is it appropriate to try to obtain the DNA from this tissue to learn more about it?
3) If appropriate to collect DNA – and if ever there were another similar miracle – the DNA could be compared for a possible match.
I don’t intend to be disrespectful in any way, but the above question about the DNA got me thinking. At first I’d think that no testing should be done out of reverence, but apparently there are acceptable ways to carry this sort of thing out.
P.McGrath, I believe you are thinking of the Eucharistic Miracle at Orvietto. I had the privilege of viewing it last year. Beautiful church, too.
Very intriguing. We’ll have to see- and I’m glad you’re there to report this to us, Fr. Z.
To think of how Jesus condescends to come to us is so amazing.
My first thought also was on the lines of jlmorrell’s #1: How was ‘testing’ allowed to be conducted on a consecrated host? Is there some precedent for this or does permission have to be secured from the Vatican?
Granted, the circumstances here are unique and intriguing, but I’m thinking that if such tests were done on any ‘normal’ consecrated host, the results would show that the ‘accidents’ of bread and wine still remain – if I remember my Theology correctly…
Rob and PMcGrath;
I think you are both remembering “Lanciano”, no? Although I believe that happened in the 800’s. Absolutly awesome miracle.