Vatican approval has officially recognized a Eucharistic miracle in Kerala, India, where witnesses claim the Holy Face of Jesus appeared on a host in 2013.
The Vatican has validated reports of a Eucharistic miracle in the Christ the King Church, located in Vilakkannur, Kerala, India, where believers say the face of Jesus Christ appeared on a consecrated host during a Mass in 2013. This recognition comes more than a decade after the phenomenon was first reported.
The extraordinary event took place on November 15, 2013, when Rev. Fr. Thomas Pathickal was conducting a morning Mass. During the elevation of the host, a mysterious spot was noticed, which gradually transformed into what appeared to be the face of Jesus Christ. Thousands of people flocked to the church to witness and venerate the host.
Following the initial appearance, the host was sent for scientific evaluation three days later, and subsequently returned to Christ the King Church for veneration. It was decreed by the diocese that the host should be placed at a specially arranged site on a side altar, rather than the main altar, and was not to be used for Eucharistic adoration.
The Vatican’s decision to authenticate the event was confirmed in May 2025, delivering validation and a sense of spiritual affirmation to the thousands who visited the church since the occurrence. A statement from the official website of the Eucharistic miracle describes the moment Rev. Fr. Pathickal noticed the transformation of the host as it presented the face of Jesus during the Mass.
In an earlier interview with Matters India in 2020, Baby Joseph Payikatt, a former parish trustee, recounted how the host was taken to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church headquarters in Kakkanad, India, where it was presented to Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro. A special Mass and prayers were held at Christ the King Church before presenting the host to the apostolic nuncio.
Payikatt also highlighted the profound impact of the event on the church community, noting that hundreds of people have visited the parish, praying and witnessing the host. The phenomenon reportedly brought significant spiritual and social changes among the parishioners.
Additionally, Archbishop George Njaralakatt has encouraged the documentation of any signs or supernatural occurrences associated with the Eucharistic miracle, suggesting that the event’s implications continue to unfold in the lives of the faithful.
This miraculous event’s Vatican endorsement confirms the enduring interest and significance of spiritual phenomena in the Catholic faith, as believers around the world look to these occurrences for inspiration and religious affirmation, according to ChurchPOP.
Source: Original article