The hosts, recovered from a tabernacle recently retrieved from the ruins of the parish church of Arquata del Tronto, have no bacteria or mold, as usually happens to hosts after a few weeks, according to the Italian bishops’ newspaper Avvenire.
The tabernacle, which since the earthquake had been kept in storage along with other artifacts and was recently returned to the diocese, contained an upturned but unopened ciborium.
Inside the ciborium were 40 hosts whose color, shape and scent were unchanged. Even though the quake took place nearly a year and a half ago, the hosts “seemed to have been made yesterday,” Avvenire reported Feb. 21.
The local bishop, Mons. Giovanni D’Ercole of Ascoli Piceno, was cautious, saying “faith requires prudence,” but added that such a discovery needs “no words.”
