France · 14th Century
Blanot
The Eucharistic Miracle of Blanot took place during the Easter Mass of 1331. During Communion, a Host fell onto a cloth held below the communicant's mouth. The priest tried to pick it up, but it was not possible. The Host had transformed into Blood, resulting in a stain—the same size as the Host—on the cloth. In the 14th century, Blanot was a small village in the center of France and part of the diocese of Autun. The bishop of this town, Pierre Bertrand, was involved in certain canonical discussions with an official of his curia, Jean Jargossier, which resulted in documents that give us many details about this Eucharistic miracle. The miracle occurred on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1331, at the first Mass of the day, which was offered by Hugues de la Baume, the vicar of Blanot. During Communion a woman named Jacquette, the widow of Regnaut d'Effour, received Communion. The priest placed the Host in her mouth, turned, and started walking toward the altar. He did not notice that a particle from the Host fell and landed upon a cloth that covered the woman's hands. Thomas Caillot, who was assisting at the Mass, went to the altar and said: 'Father, you must return to the rail because the Body of Our Lord fell from the mouth of this lady onto the cloth.' The priest immediately went to the woman, still kneeling at the railing, but instead of finding the Host on the cloth, he saw a small spot of Blood. When Mass was over, the priest took the cloth into the sacristy and placed the stained area in a basin filled with clear water. After washing and scrubbing the spot numerous times, he found that the stain had grown darker and larger, reaching about the size and shape of a full Host. Moreover, the water in the basin turned bloody.
Scientific analysis
The priest tested the stain with a knife and, after washing it, cut from the cloth the piece bearing the bloody imprint of the Host. The water used for washing also turned bloody, and hundreds of years later the stain was found to have been perfectly preserved.