Eucharistic Miracle of Chirattakonam

The Story

St. Mary's parish church at Chirattakonam, a village in the Trivandrum district of Kerala, India, belongs to the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome. In 2001 the parish became known internationally for a reported Eucharistic sign witnessed during adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. According to the account given by the parish and reported in Catholic media, on April 28, 2001, during the annual novena to St. Jude Thaddeus, the parish priest exposed the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance for public adoration. After a short time he noticed three small marks on the consecrated Host. He invited the faithful to continue in prayer and reserved the monstrance in the tabernacle. When the priest returned on May 5, 2001, and again exposed the Blessed Sacrament, the marks on the Host had reportedly developed into what appeared to be a human face crowned with thorns, resembling traditional images of Christ in his Passion. A photographer was called, and the photographs taken that day show the image that those present described. Cyril Mar Baselios, then Archbishop of Trivandrum, spoke publicly of the event, remarking that for believers what was seen expresses what the Church has always believed about the Eucharist, and that such a sign calls for a response of deeper faith. The event has not been the subject of a formal juridical decree, and the faithful are free to form their own judgment about it. The monstrance with the Host is preserved at the church, and the account has circulated widely, including in the International Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles compiled by St. Carlo Acutis. For visitors and parishioners alike, Chirattakonam remains above all an invitation to Eucharistic adoration and to renewed reverence for Christ's presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

Church Recognition

Publicized by the local bishop but not the subject of a formal juridical decree. PENDING / no formal ruling.

Catholic Teaching

The Church teaches that Christ is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist (CCC 1373–1381); reported signs such as Chirattakonam add nothing to the deposit of faith, but they can invite the faithful to deeper adoration and more reverent reception of Holy Communion.

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Practical

1 Additional Information ▾

Associated with St. Mary's Church, Chirattakonam, Kerala.

Go Deeper

See the Chirattakonam panel in St. Carlo Acutis's International Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles (miracolieucaristici.org), the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1373–1381 on the Real Presence, and the pastoral resources of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Archdiocese of Trivandrum.