Miracles of the Eucharist display to be featured

by Staff Pioneer Times
13 years ago

    MILLINOCKET — The Miracles of the Eucharist Display, which has visited at least 15 major U.S. cities, numerous university and college campuses, and many world sites in the past three years, is coming to Millinocket, courtesy of the Knights of Columbus, Council No. 680.
    The local Knights of Columbus will be hosting the Miracles of the Eucharist Display at St. Martin of Tours Parish Hall in Millinocket the weekend of June 8, 9, and 10, Corpus Christi Sunday.
    Viewing times are as follows: Friday, June 8, 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 9, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and Sunday, June 10, 9:30 p.m. to 12 noon.
    The Knights have issued an invitation of welcome to members of all religions to visit the hall and view the exhibit.
    The Eucharist is a holy sacrament in which the Roman Catholic Church believes Jesus Christ is physically present through the body (host wafers) and the blood (wine).
    This traveling exhibit features 72 large, museum-style panels containing photographs and historical accounts of 126 church-certified Eucharistic miracles from around the world, plus includes poster maps showing where the miracles are located in each country. The exhibit includes the most recent one, which occurred in 2001.
    Among the many miracles featured in the exhibit is, perhaps, one of the better known ones, the miracle at Lanciano, Italy, which occurred in the 8th century A. D. This involved a priest who was having doubts about the Real Presence contained in the host, but when he consecrated the host it transformed into flesh and blood. This miracle, according to church authorities, underwent extensive scientific examination which determined the flesh is actually cardiac tissue which contains arterioles, veins and nerve fibers and the blood type (AB) was determined be the same as contained in the Shroud of Turin.
    The exhibit was first displayed in 2005 in the Vatican. The intent of the exhibit is to provide a deeper spiritual meaning of the Eucharist. The exhibit as created by an Italian youth, Carlo Acutis (1991-2006) who compiled the collection before his death from an aggressive form of leukemia. A move for his beatification has been made.