Deepertruth: Eucharistic Miracle of Ofida, Italy, 1273-1280

In 1273 in the town of Lanciano, a woman named Richiarella went to a witch and asked her how she could recover the affection of her husband, Giacomo Stasio. Following the witch’s advice, she went to Communion to obtain a consecrated Host.

Richiarella returned home and put the Host on the fire in an earthenware jar with the intention of turning the Blessed Sacrament into powder to put into her husband’s food. The Particles, however, were transformed into living Flesh.

Richiarella, horrified by these events, wrapped the jar and the Bloodied Host in a linen handkerchief that she then buried under the manure in her husband’s stable. 

Strange events began to take place inside the stable: every time Giacomo’s donkeyentered, it would genuflect toward the place where the miraculous Host was buried, and Giacomo began to think that his wife had put a spell on the beast. 

Seven years later, Richiarella remorsefully confessed her terrible sacrilege to the prior of the Augustinian priory in Lanciano, Giacomo Diotallevi, a native of Offida.

According to the oldest stories, the woman, in tears, began screaming, “I killed God! I killed God!”The priest went to the place, found the bundle with the relics, and gave them to his fellow-citizens.