A friend sent me a link to an Italian-language web site that he says describes a purported Eucharistic miracles in Lourdes that happened recently and was captured on video. I don’t read Italian, but my friend says:
In 1999, during a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Billé, then archbishop of Lyon, the Host began to levitate just above the paten from the moment of the epiclesis until the elevation. The prodigy was filmed for broadcast and a clip of it is making its way around the internet. At the time, the French bishops decided to keep it quiet. Recently, it was brought to the attention of a cardinal in the Curia, who took it upon himself to verify the origin of the clip and ask the current archbishop of Lyon for the position of the French bishops on the matter. This cardinal in turn passed it on to the Holy Father. He is concerned that certain bishops were too quick to put the lid on what seems to be an authentic sign.
There are photo stills captured from the video and a link to the video itself. What do you think?
For those who believe, no explanation is necessary; for those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.
It is fun, speaking of Lourdes, to hear scientific men tell us that some times cancer/MS/heart damage etc just goes away – no miracles here – no way…….
I think that Christ wanted to get as far away from those hideous vessels as He possibly could…
Something happened in the video, but the skeptic in me wants to say there are strings attached.
While I hope itturns out to be a legitimate Eucharistic miracle, I find myself wondering why that particular Mass was being video taped…that always makes me a little hesitant.
WOW! I’ve seen the stills before, but the video blew my mind! That’s incredible.
Hmmm. Something about that looks funny when it first levitates.
That video is quite stunning.
If it’s not a EM what could it be?
I’m not convinced by the pics. If God wants a levitation miracle, I think He can manage more than an inch. Wasn’t able to view the video since I don’t want to buy the Win-Zip program.
I just read a book by Bob and Penny Lord on Eucharistic miracles. We seem ready and willing to believe the miracles that occurred in 700 AD or 1273 or 1345 but not so ready to believe those that have occurred within the last few years or so.
I hope this miracle is determined to be valid (not really sure if that’s the right word), goodness knows, we need it!
The other weird thing about the video is that nobody changes their expression or looks surprised at all. I suspect it’s a doctored video.
I suspect because it was the Archbishop of Lyons leading a pilgrimage Mass in Lourdes. That type of thing would typically be videotaped.
Yeah, I mean it’s not a real Eucharistic miracle unless it clears at least six inches. Because, you know, we’re the ones who set the standards for God’s miracles.
I thought it was strange too, although it could be explained by the fact that video was edited, such expressions of surprise could have been excised. Or it could be that if you’re looking down at it from an angle you don’t realize it’s levitating; one certainly wouldn’t be expecting it to be.
I’ve seen no independent verification of the details of the story my friend sent me, such as the details about Arcbishop Bille and whatnot. I wonder what the point of doctoring such a video would be.
The point would be just to get people all in a lather.
I agree that you might not notice it levitating from certain angles, but I think you would probably notice the initial jump up which also looks a littel fishy- instead of just slowly coming up, it kind of jumps and shakes a little bit at first.
Thoughtful, mature Catholics do not respond to something like this with emotional outbursts of immediate, speculative belief or disbelief. Instead, they may list the possibilities, privately/silently lean toward one (if they wish), and then quietly wait for the Church to make a ruling. Mature Catholics do not think that they have a right (or even a duty) to make a ruling themselves and announce it publicly.
Some possibilities:
(1) Complete, post-engineered via trick photography.
(2) Levitation by device (e.g., repelling magnets, wires, etc.), engineered by the clergy involved.
(3) Levitation by device, engineered by an outsider without clergy involvement.
(4) Praeternatural event, done by an evil spirit to cause confusion and/or squabbling.
(5) Supernatural event, permitted by God for a good reason.
(6) Other, not yet identified.
If #5, what could be the reason?
(1) Increase the faith of witnesses in transubstantiation.
(2) Indicate that transubstantiation occurs at epiclesis, not at words of institution. (I could be wrong about this, but I think that Eastern theology argues for “epiclesis” [“Let your Spirit come upon these gifts”], while Western theology argues for “institution” [“This is my Body”].)
And do you think it likely that Archbishop Louis-Marie Bille of Lyons, the celebrant of the Mass, would agree to such a hoax? Why would he be interested in getting people all in a lather?
Here’s a photo of Bille, who I see now died in 2002 and was in fact a cardinal:
http://www.cef.fr/catho/imageview/personnalites/bille.jpg
Gee, Anunsi, I’m sorry we aren’t all as thoughtful and mature as you. I can aspire to one day be pretentious and pedantic though.
Hey AnUnSi- just to make it clear, i haven’t made a “ruling”. Nor have I come to any conclusions myself- it’s just something we are discussing.
I like your list of possibilities though.
BTW, in surfing around, I came a cross a post on a French Catholic website in which a gentleman asked a French priest asking about this event and the priest responded by saying that he had had the event confirmed by a Jesuit priest friend who his who saw it with his own eyes at the time. He aslo speculated that it may bre related to the hiloness of Cardinal Bille or because someone present there needed an affirmation to strenghten their faith.
Hmmmmm.
Thomas Tucker wrote “because someone present there needed an affirmation to strenghten their faith”
Exactly – perhaps there was a 12 year old girl there who has prayed for some help with her own faith. She is now 20 and maybe her prayers are the only reason God has not given us what we deserve …yet….
Isn’t the term “Eucharistic Miracle” redundant. The fact that Jesus is present, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist is THE miracle.
I like Eucharistic Miracles – I don’t know if this is truly one or not – doesn’t really matter to faith. I just find it curious why God wants to do something “extra-special” at times. Since I am not God, I guess I’ll never truly know.
I just find it neat. I also think it’s too bad others don’t get how intimate we become bodily with Jesus—truly a gift.
I took a look at the (rather large) unedited video available on the site (the “Preghiera Eucaristica” link). From that, it didn’t appear that anyone was surprised to see the Host levitate (though there were only three priests in the camera at the time the Host began to levitate). Also, after the elevation, the celebrant replaced the Host on the paten and, as far as I can tell, it continued to levitate. That he had to pick up the Host seems to me would be a decent indication he knew it was levitating – and it seems he would have also had to notice the host stayed above the paten when he replaced it. From what little Italian I could piece together, it seemed to me the Mass was being broadcast (live?) on French TV. The video is taken from that broadcast. which is unfortunate, because we do not have a constant camera view of the celebrant and Host.
Also, the traditional posture of the Catholic Church towards possible miracles is *not* credulity but skepticism.
St. Bernadette was not canonized as a visionary, but as someone who showed heroic virtue in her circumstances (especially terminal illness).
“I just find it curious why God wants to do something “extra-special” at times.”
Cathy, you and I (and most of the folks reading this blog, hopefully) believe in the Real Presence. Many, many Catholics do not. It is a widespread problem.
By the way, there was a reported Eucharistic Miracle in Methuen in 1995/96 and one in Worcester… Massachusetts need them!
No one needs a miracle that has not come from God. Events such as this must be held in skepticism until the Church makes a decision about them.
I’ve watched the video several times over and something about the way that Host jumps up and wobbles a bit at first just doen’t look right to me- I think I’ve seen a disc somewhere do that before using magnets or air but I can’t put my finger on where I’ve seen it. I still am suspicious that the video is doctored. Having said that, at Mass today I was more conscious than ever of the Real Presence because of this video, whether it’s true or not.
The host is not a magnetic material, so it does not make sense to imagine someone putting a magnect so as to levitate the host. As an engineer, I can assure that this is not possible.
One of the criteria by which the Church judges whether a purported miracle is of divine origin is the reaction of the faithful. If the faithful are to be skeptical of everything, how is the Church to judge?
Church officials are to be skeptical to do their jobs. This is like the “innocent until proven guilty” fallacy. Jurors and judges have to assume innocence until guilt is proven. The average Joe on the street is under no such obligation. Based on the evidence in the media and his behavior, I am free to say that I think that Neil Entwistle killed his wife and daughter.
Domenico
Any spiritual director or confessor worth his salt would take great pains to investigate an inclination to give credence to a miracle before the Church has permitted it. We may not be expressly forbidden to give credence, but we are obliged to be very circumspect about how our credulity may damage ourselves or others.
Yeah, what kind of “immature” and “thoughtless” rube believes that God may do miracles every day in many places? Why, the inclination to believe in the miraculous is a sign of spiritual instability, not something that Thinking Catholics(tm) do.
There’s a big difference between being open to miracles as ordinary signs of God’s presence among us and being a miracle-chaser. A faith built on solid ground does not need miracles to prop it up, but neither does a solid faith reject the possibility a priori.
I just read a book by Bob and Penny Lord on Eucharistic miracles. We seem ready and willing to believe the miracles that occurred in 700 AD or 1273 or 1345 but not so ready to believe those that have occurred within the last few years or so.
Here is a listing of some Eucharistic miracles – most often seeming to involve bleeding hosts – which include some more recent ones here in the States.
http://www.circleofprayer.com/eucharistic-miracles.html
The one listed for Yardville, NJ was not too far away from us. Since the permission of the bishop is needed for further invasive scientific studies, they were not done. The involved priest’s spiritual director, Fr. Stephen Valenta, is a well known, humble, orthodox priest. Used to be on Mother Angelica’s program years ago. Once I asked a weekend assistant priest at a nearby parish who was also assisting at the parish of the “miracle” after the priest involved had died, about this happening. He was a rather liberally minded person with no interest or belief in such things and he looked at me rather challengingly and said “come on, you don’t believe in such things. That priest was probably a little touched, cut himself and got some blood on the host.” I said, well, just what happened to the host involved? He said “oh, the bishop buried it or something”. The bishop is now retired for several years with Alzheimer’s. It was all hushed up without further investigation. Of course there are the simple believers who knew the true circumstances, but then, these days, what do they know! They don’t count for much!
I am surprised that Domenico Bettinelli find this “miracle” is a scoop since Spiritdaily already displayed this info at least 2 years ago.
The news of this event was first disclosed in a book of Renzo Allegri (I don’t remember the title) in Italy. A French priest, Fr Racine displayed it later in his website http://www.adoperp.com .
In my opinion certainly this was a miracle because one can notice a well known attendant in the background, Card. Lustiger, the former Archbischop of Paris.
In the case this was a fake, the Archdiocese would surely have issued a denial.
The problem is that a great part of the French modernist clergy is skeptical: They prefer to shut up on such hard to handle matters instead to have to reply embarassing questions.
Like so much current “miracles” and wonders (Holy Shroud, Dead Sea manuscripts, weeping icons etc…) , this is a sign for our times, intended to skepticals who are constantly questionning our faith.
The worse deaf people are those who deny to listen.
Dom, your argument seems to ignore the very real power of fallen angels to bring about phenomena. Remember, angels have appeared to men and been documented in Scripture. The angelic kingdom has the power to intervene in human affairs in a miraculous way. But some of the angels have fallen but their power has not been taken from them. Their intent is to deceive. You can’t disregard this dogma.
Look at the passages in the Trent Catechism on the assaults of the fallen angels, pages 566 to 569, which speaks of their power and of their hatred of man and desire to deceive him, especially of any man who clings to Christ.
Fallen angels have brought about a semblence of a Eucharistic miracle in the past, in Lyon, France, of all places given the celebrant in this event.
We simply can’t run off after every event that appears to be supernatural. Only those events that have been given the approval of the Church are worthy of belief. We owe that to the One who makes Himself present in the Eucharist.
I never said it was a “scoop”. I don’t read every web site, certainly not ones in languages I don’t understand. I’m flattered by the implication that I’m omniscient, but I’m not.
I simply said it was just brought to my attention.
Oh, c’mon. Demons aren’t really known for simulating Eucharistic miracles. Demons run like the wind from the Host.
Now, Photoshopping by mere humans is another story.
Domenico
Skepticism is not rejection a priori. It is grounded, quite differently, in understanding how supernatural evil can come in the guise of the sacred. Very non-materialistic. It’s not about snobbery and philosophical materialism.
Maureen, the host levitated approximate 1 to 2 inches. Contrast that with the Eucharistic miracle described here.
The first has all of us scratching our heads and half of us doubting the source.
In contrast look at the drama of the one I have linked. Much less reason to doubt. A genuinely dramatic event.
Levitation is an ability even known to psychic mediums. It’s not uncommon for levitation to take place in a seance. Levitation alone does not guarantee this is from God.
The lack of response from those in the film casts a shadow of doubt on the source.
BTW, did anyone happen to notice that the celebrant has green hands in some of the pictures? The color of his hands changes in the sequence from normal to green. You can see this better in an enlarged version of the pictures here.
I have to go back to the comment that it might be that someone in the congregation had a need… I recall when I was unsure about the Real Presence, many years ago. I attended a Mass at which I was praying very hard during the consecration, and I saw the host change colors from white to flesh color. It was what I needed. I do not know if anyone else saw this or not, but it deeply affected me.
I also notice that “signs” seem to happen more frequently at places and events where people are very intensely seeking. Places of pilgrimage certainly fit that description. I attribute it to “wherever two or more are gathered…”
I won’t render an actual opinion that this is real, but I do see it as a definite possibility.
I fully agree with Maureen.
It is impossible to the Devil (even for Lucifer himself) to come so close to the Holy Eucharist. Did you ever read or possibly see an exorcism? The One that can expell the devil is the Host. When the Eucharist is presented in front of the poor person to be exorcised, he becomes furious up to break the cuffs and tightening straps: He has no other choice than to flee!!
I cannot only one second imagine, in the case of Lourdes 1999 event, that Satan himself was pulling up the Host to deceive us.
Otherwise, in the case this would even be allowed by God, all the other Eucharistic miracles (and there are a lot) are fakes and deceits to. Then let me know what would be God’s aim.
Carrie- I don’t know why his hands look green in those pictures you posted. When I go back and look at the video, they don’t llok green at all. I still think the strangest thing is that none of the priests there act like there is anything unusual happening. And I would think that someone would have been asking them about this if it ocurred on public television- you can’t cover that up.
The devil wants to prove the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist? Just how would that further his purposes? If a person is behind a “miraculous” deception, or if a real miracle is covered up, I’d see the devil’s hand, but the notion that a fallen angel could make the Eucharist levitate makes no sense to me.
As it is, the faithful are curious but not confused, and the unbelievers are intrigued enough to pay attention. That sounds good to me.
Another Eucharistic miracle 60 years ago in Alberta. Go to: http://www.michaeljournal.org/cowley.htm
You may test the tree by the fruits it gave.
These signs are given to poorly minded people, not to scientists and doctors.
Many faithful people say: “I don’t care about these purported “miracles” since they add nothing to my faith. The Church doesn’t oblige me to believe them.”
This is the skeptical Christian reply.
Non believers say: “Of course I cannot explain this right now, but one day Science will explain it. Then why to worry? Let’s keep sleeping quietly”.
Eventually they say the same thing: They don’t want to be disturbed.
The Eucharistic miracle we do need to believe in and the only one that really matters is the one that takes place every time we attend Mass. We mustn’t lose sight of that.
Imagine if a lot of people came to the conclusion that this levitation was a Eucharistic miracle arranged by God. Then imagine if the Church concluded it was not a miracle after all, but rather caused by some natural phenomenon. What would those who believed in it think?
– “I’ve been fooled once. Maybe the Real Presence isn’t real and I’ve been fooled there as well.”
– “Those who made the ruling on this miracle were following an agenda. It was a real miracle and they don’t want to admit it. They lied to us about the abuse scandal and they’re lying to us once again.”
Both reactions are within the realm of possibility. With either of them the body of the faithful will be further divided. Then who wins?
Never forget that angels, being pure spirits, have greater intelligence than man. Fallen angels desire to deceive man with that greater intelligence. This is why we need the wisdom of the Church guided by the Holy Spirit in discerning events such as this one. We folks in the pew are simply not qualified to judge it.
Well, now that I’ve seen the video, I can say that if this was a miracle it wasn’t meant for my eyes. I can’t see it! Personally, I don’t need it, because as Carrie says “The Eucharistic miracle we do need to believe in and the only one that really matters is the one that takes place every time we attend Mass. We mustn’t lose sight of that.”
If this were a miracle, would it enhance the Eucharistic miracle? Not for me. Maybe that’s why I don’t see it. Or maybe I don’t see it because I have poor eyesight! Either way, I am content.
Wobbles when it first comes up and then stablizes like its magnetic or air driven. God has no need to wobble. You can also see something that comes up from the front of the altar like it could be an electical power cord in disguise and circle around the paten. Makes me think it was a magnetic trick via an electromagnet. And I’m not sure what levitating like that would accomplish as far proving the Real Presence. Levitation such as that is more often associated with Eastern and New Age religions.
Quo Vadis opinion is apalling.
Can you only one second imagine that important French Catholic clerics such as Card. Lustiger, Mgr Bille and other attendants would gamble with their fame in helping to organize a fake with an electromagnet to trick credulous people?
You have a very bad opinion of these gentlemen. These bischops are not all saint people but they’re not swindlers.
If not, which aim would they have followed? Nobody in France (8 years after) even among Catholic faitfuls is aware of this event and none of these men ever talked once publicly on it.
I agree- the way it jumps and wobbles looks like an electromagnetic effect. I also agree that it woul be highly unlikely that these clerics would engineer that. That’s why I think it’s basically a video that has been altered after the fact. Unless and until we see some first-hand documentation from people who were actually there, that’s going to be my supposition.
Cathy said: “Isn’t the term ‘Eucharistic Miracle’ redundant. The fact that Jesus is present, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist is THE miracle.”
No, it’s not a redundancy. Transubstantiation is not a miracle, because it effects no changes that are manifest to the five senses. Rather, it is a mystery discernible and able to be apprehended only by the eyes of faith. In addition, a miracle is something out of the ordinary, contrary to laws of nature as determined by God, and God has determined that in every valid Eucharistic liturgy, the species ordinarily are changed into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.
In short, a miracle involves some noticeable change in accidents, whereas transubstantiation involves only a change in substance.
Does anyone know what season of the year the Mass took place? Was it perhaps in the summer when temperatures are warm, and when there might have been a fan or a draft from an air-conditioner present that impacted the host? If such had been the cause of the movement, it would seem reasonable that the celebrants would not be amazed by it.
It looks phony as heck to me. Although initially startling, I came to the conclusion that:
1) The wobble
2) The small height of levitation
3) The fuzziness of the region visible behind the “levitation space”
4) The lack of reaction from the celebrants
all point to forgery with the video.
If the levitation had been any higher, then the angle of the celebrants’ eyes would have to be modified, together with their gestures when touching the host. A lot harder to do than what may well have been done with these images.
A forgery in the video is merely impossible because this solemn mass was broadcast in real time in France by the French TV (I don’t remember exactly which channel).
What a scandal if it would be demonstrated the video was forged: There are too many spectators who use to record the programs, even routinely.
What I don’t understand is why this amazing event was kept secret by the TV and by the clerics. Only a small number of lay people like me became aware of it in France in 2004 (5 ears later!) when one began to hear about Renzo Allegri’s book, a book which wasn’t translated in French until now.
In addition Allegri states as a matter of fact that pundits checked the videotape and didn’t found any clue of forgery.
As much as I would like to believe that the host actually levitated, I think there is a simple explanation. If you look carefully at the still photos, it appears that the host, perhaps because of its size and the humidity in the room, bowed into a concave shape rather than remaining flat. If you look at this still image (http://www.tonyassante.com/renzoallegri/eucar/titoli/7.htm), you can see that the host has taken a bowl-like shape, and that there is a small point of contact with the host underneath. If you watch the video carefully, you can see it wobbles around a central point before becoming still, and is not flat. This simple effect of humidity and the structural properties of the host would explain the suddeness of it popping up, the way it wobbles, its relatively low suspension above the other host, and why it didn’t attract the attention of the presiding bishops. Viewed from a distance, along with the angle of the camera, and perhaps issues of resolution, the host would appear to be floating due to the gap created from the edges curling up. So, perhaps this is neither a miracle, nor a hoax, but simply an optical illusion.
As for the “green hands” others noticed, that was just color bleed from their vestments…
The real miracle is the presence of our Lord in the eucharist. Let us never forget or take this for granted!
That is definitely magnetic levitation. If you’re familiar with it you can recognize the way things move under magnetic influence quite readily. That jump followed by a slowly stabilizing wobble and then total stillness is movement typical of something responding to an electromagnet beneath it.
Well look for Meisner effect of superconducting materials. At the transubstantiation moment, it becomes also superconductive and like science extensively documents a jump and wobble follows the magnetic levitation.
Then it sustains the superconductive state for such a longer time than science ever did without assistance.
https://youtu.be/CPv0b5LrUHk