14th september 1995
The first Eucharistic miracle
A report by the Bishop Claudio Gatti
On September 10, 1995 Our Lady said to Marisa: "On the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross I will be here to pray with you before the Cross. And you, Marisa, will have to take the Cross and carry It in procession ". In fact on September 14 (feast of the Exaltation of the Cross), while the believers were gathered in the chapel praying, Marisa was in her wheelchair at the foot of the staircase just outside the chapel. Bringing the Cross, I placed myself at the head of the procession and set off towards Marisa. When I arrived within a few meters from her, I saw her stand up without any external help and walk towards the Cross, following Our Lady' s particular order, as she explained to me afterwards. Marisa kissed the Crucified on Jesus' forehead and according to what she has said, she saw the Holy Host coming out of the chest. I didn't see this "emission" because I was bringing the Cross, but immediately after I saw the Holy Host on Marisa's left hand palm [In the photo below, the host is on Marisa's left and palm].
Though it was not the first time I have been present at such an event (in fact on September 3, 1995 an other Eucharistic miracle had happened during a private apparition in a small chapel outside Rome), the emotion was equally strong. The people nearby who realized that the Holy Host was visible, reacted with astonishment and in wonder. In the meantime, in the general disturbance and also in my own particular confusion, Our Lady took the situation in hand and suggested, step by step, to Marisa what to do. First of all She said to Marisa that I had to put the alb on and to bring lighted candles. For my part I only took the initiative of taking the ostensory. In the meantime Marisa lead the prayer, holding up the Holy Host so that it is visible for everybody.
On my return from the sacristy I knelt down before the Most Holy Sacrament, exposed It in the ostensory and invited everybody to adore the Lord, present among us. At this moment Marisa experienced very severe suffering, which was felt all over her body so that she collapsed. While being helped to stand up, she whispered to me that she had lived the pains of Our Lord' s Passion. We resumed the procession, now led by Marisa bringing the Cross and immediately followed by me, bringing the ostensory. Marisa led the prayer alternating with the song "Tu sei Dio" ("You are God") and together with the chorus. During the short stops of the procession I invited everybody to keep silence and to adore. We processed round the whole garden and then came back into the chapel.
I placed the ostensory down on the altar and we all knelt down and Marisa, after having put the Cross to one side, knelt down as she hadn't been able to do for some time. At the end of the choral prayer and of the silent personal adoration, I asked in a loud voice of puzzlement to Marisa: "What do I have to do?". In fact, I turned this way and that, whether to keep the Eucharist in the chapel as a miraculous sign or whether to obey the Vicariate prohibition of keeping It. Marisa too was puzzled as her glance indicated to me. Our Lady once again intervened and removed all the doubts and told me, by means of Marisa, to break the Holy Host into two parts, so that Marisa and I could receive Holy Communion. During our thanksgiving the believers kept praying in silence. Everything was completed with the blessing given by me. This is an objective report of the events.
