The Holy Face of Jesus Christ as appeared on the Holy Eucharist

Syro-Malankara Catholic Church ^ | 5-5-2001 | Fr. Johnson Karoor

[Hermann the Cherusker]

The Holy Face of Jesus Christ as appeared on the Holy Eucharist

On 5-5-2001

Testimony of the parish priest
Fr. Johnson Karoor 

For the benefit of the believers I would like to describe how a human face - believed to be the face of Jesus Christ has appeared in the Holy Eucharist placed in the Monstrance for adoration on the Altar of St. Mary's Malankara Catholic Church at Chirattakonam, Archdiocese of Trivandrum.

 On the 28th April 2001, we held the novena prayer to St. Jude in the parish church at Chirattakonam as usual. At about 8:49 a.m. I exposed the Holy Eucharist in the monstrance and we started the adoration. During the adoration I saw three dots on the holy Eucharist. I stopped reciting the prayers and as if from some sort of an inner inspiration I just stood looking at the Eucharist. As the novena prayer was over I gave the faithful Eucharistic benediction. Then I invited the attention of the Faithful to the monstrance and they testified that they saw three dots on the Eucharist. I asked the faithful to remain in prayer and I kept the Holy Eucharist in the tabernacle. 

    I celebrated the Holy Mass on Monday, the 30^th April and on the next day I left for Trivandrum. After returning from Trivandrum on Saturday Morning 5^th May 2001, 1 opened the church for the liturgical service. I vested myself and opened the tabernacle. Immediately I noticed the figure of a human face in yellow color in the Eucharist. I was at a loss what to do. I just stood there for a few seconds. I asked the faithful to kneel down and pray. I thought it was something which I alone experienced. I kept the holy Eucharist in the monstrance and asked the mass server whether he saw something in the Eucharist. "I see a figure", he said. I saw the faithful looking intently at the monstrance observing the figure. We started the adoration. During the adoration we saw the figure becoming clearer. I didn't have the strength to speak anything to the faithful. I stood aside for sometime. I couldn't control my tears.

     We had the practice of reading the scripture and reflecting on it during the adoration. The passage that I got that day as I opened the Bible was John 20: 24-29 - Jesus appearing to St. Thomas and asking him to see his wounds. Though I read the passage, I could not give a homily. I just said a few words and concluded. As I had to go for Mass to the next parish at Kokkodu, I called a photographer and asked him to take a photo of the holy Eucharist with the human face on it. After sometime we took another photo, then a third one. In two hours the photo were developed and printed. In all the  three photos there was a clear difference in terms of the clarity of the figure. The figure was slowly becoming clearer and clearer. Since then many people are coming to the church and adoring the holy Eucharist, which has been kept in the  Monstrance on the Altar in, the sanctuary of the Church.

 Clarification given by
His Grace Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios,
on the Eucharistic event
in the St. Mary's Malankara Catholic Church, Chirattakonam

 My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ, 

    As we are all witnessing this extra-ordinary sign manifested in the Holy Eucharist, placed in the Monstrance on our Altar for adoration, I feel I should give you some guidance to understand better this unique sign. 

    The Catholic Church believes and teaches that Our Lord Jesus Christ is really present in the Holy Eucharist. Ever since the Institution of the Holy Eucharist by Our Lord in his Last Supper, the Church has been holding on to this Faith in the Eucharist and practicing it in the liturgical Eucharistic celebration. The Catholic Church believes that the presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist is real but sacramental. Thus his presence is through the species of Bread and Wine whose substance is converted to his Body and Blood, this we believe on the basis of Jesus' own words and action during his Last Supper. Hence we believe that Our Lord Jesus Christ is really present in the Holy Eucharist. In fact it is not a new Faith in the Church, but it is a faith that has been held and practiced right from the beginning of the Church, and this Eucharistic Faith occupied a central place in the life of the Catholic Church.

     Since the presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist is sacramental, though real, it is not possible for our senses to experience it. But it is possible for the Lord, if he so wills; to make himself sensibly present to us through some signs that are perceptible to our senses. Many examples of this truth are quoted in the Gospels in relation to his apparitions to the disciples after his resurrection, who had yet to be confirmed in the        Risen Lord. But it is to be noted that the faith of the Church in the presence of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist is not based on any extraordinary signs that might be manifested in God's own providential care for His people, nor on condition that such signs would be given to us. On the contrary, our faith in the Eucharistic presence of Our Lord is based on his own  words during his Last Supper. 

    It is against this background that we have to accept and understand this great Eucharistic sign to which we, all those who are here, are witnesses. All of us see it personally and clearly. In the light of our faith that Our Lord Jesus Christ and no one else is present in the Eucharist, the figure of the human face we see here in the Eucharist, we conclude, must be the face of Our Lord Jesus Christ. On our part we hold on to our Eucharistic faith firmly and with deep conviction. In case someone would try to explain away this phenomena on any other reasonable grounds, we do not condemn the effort. But if we cannot find any human means active in the event, it would be reasonable and wise to believe that Our Lord has given us a special sacramental sign through a special intervention.

     For us believers what we have seen is something, which we always believed. Our real attention should now be focused on the question why Our Lord gives us this unique and extraordinary sign. We must prayerfully reflect 'on the meaning of this sacred symbol. If Our Lord is speaking to us by giving us a sign, it certainly needs a response from us. While we all together pray and search for an answer, let us offer our thanksgiving to Our Lord and adore him devotedly for his gracious care and love for us.

 Address:
St. Mary's Malankara Catholic Church
Chiraftakonarn, Thalachira P.O.
Koffarakara, Kollarn Dist. - 691 546
Kerala, South India
Phone: 0474-402780

---

 

---

Copyright© Malankara.net 1997 - 2001. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by Web3com Inc.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners. (Prayer of the Angel at Fatima)

O SACRED banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory given to us. V. Thou didst give them bread from heaven; R. Containing in itself all sweetness. Let us pray. O God, who under a wonderful Sacrament hast left us a memorial of Thy Passion; grant us, we beseech Thee, so to reverence the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, that we may ever feel within ourselves the fruit of Thy Redemption: Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen. (Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas for the Office of Corpus Christi)

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Some pings to this wonderful miracle would be appreciated.

Adoremus in aeternam sanctissimum Sacramentum!

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Ping

[Pyro7480]

O Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and thanksgiving, be every moment Thine!

Thanks for sharing this with us. It is another testament that Jesus is truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

[sitetest]

Thanks.

[GirlShortstop]

...O God, who under a wonderful Sacrament hast left us a memorial of Thy Passion; grant us, we beseech Thee, so to reverence the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, that we may ever feel within ourselves the fruit of Thy Redemption: Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.  Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas for the Office of Corpus Christi

[dsc]

For some reason, I can't get any of the graphics to display.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Hmmm ... follow the link.

[Desdemona]

The link is down.

The graphics won't display for me either.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Looks like FR may have brought down the Malankara server. Ooops!

[Telit Likitis]

One picture (probably the most highly developed one) appears here:

http://www.thekolbegroup.org/Holy_Face_of_Jesus.html

[Pahuanui]

How would they know?

No one knows what Christ looked like, so it might just as well be the face of, say, Agamemnon or some plummer in Reno named Floyd.

[Polycarp]

bump & ping!

[Hermann the Cherusker]

We know what Christ looks like from the Holy Shroud and from Icons and Mosaics in the ancient Churches. This image matches them.

[Pahuanui]

We know what Christ looks like from the Holy Shroud and from Icons and Mosaics in the ancient Churches. This image matches them.

We do?

That assumes rather much, as none of the artists who created those images ever laid eyes on him, and the shroud has no particular validity.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

That would be soley your opinion.

[.45MAN]

ping

[Salvation]

I am sitting here with tears in my eyes -- just from reading this!

[NYer]

Novena in Honor
of the
Most Holy Face of Jesus

"I firmly wish that my face reflecting the intimate pains of my soul, the suffering and love of my heart, be more honored! Whoever gazes upon me already consoles me." (Our Lord Jesus Christ to Sister Pierina)

 DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

 O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.

We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. (Start novena)

"All those who, attracted by my love, and venerating my countenance, shall receive, by virtue of my humanity, a brilliant and vivid impression of my divinity. This splendor shall enlighten the depths of their souls, so that in eternal glory the celestial court shall marvel at the marked likeness of their features with my divine countenance." (Our Lord Jesus Christ to St. Gertrude)

HOLY FACE NOVENA

[dansangel]

Excellent post - thank you for the ping, .45MAN.