Not, according to scripture and not according to science. In Mark 14, verses 22 through 26, we hear the words of institution, "And as they were eating He took bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them and said, 'Take, this is my body.' He did not say 'Take, this represents my body'.
Science has corroborated this by a study done on a consecrated host in Lanciano, Italy.
In 1970-'71 and taken up again partly in 1981 there took place a scientific investigation by the most illustrious scientist Prof. Odoardo Linoli, eminent Professor in Anatomy and Pathological Histology and in Chemistry and Clinical Microscopy. He was assisted by Prof. Ruggero Bertelli of the University of Siena.
The analyses were conducted with absolute and unquestionable scientific precision and they were documented with a series of microscopic photographs.
These analyses sustained the following conclusions:
You can believe whatever you want. A “study” done 30 or 40 years ago can hardly be considered scientific proof, give me a break. According to this doctrine, ANY eucharist taken from any of the millions of masses performed every day in the world should be able to prove this, why aren’t they? I remember the rumors in Catholic grade school about someone taking the host out of their mouth and hiding it in their pocket. When they got home they stuck a pin in it and BLOOD came out!!! Scary to kids, but a myth only.
It is symbolic, not a real physical change. BTW, I am O negative. Any idea what the Rh factor of the “scientific” study blood type was? I should have antibodies against an AB positive blood as many times as I received communion, and I don’t. Why such stubborness on such a strange assertion?