Gruaro (Valvasone)

In 1294, a young housemaid went to the public wash-house of Versiola to wash the altar linens of the Church of St. Giusto in Gruaro, a small town in the Friuli region of northeastern Italy. While washing the sacred linens in the communal washbasin, she made a startling discovery: a consecrated Host had remained hidden by mistake among the three folds of the altar cloth. To her horror and amazement, Blood was flowing from the Host, staining the white linen crimson.

About this miracle

Frightened by this inexplicable phenomenon, the young woman immediately ran to alert the pastor of the Church of St. Giusto. The priest, recognizing the gravity of the situation, quickly informed Giacomo di Ottonello from Cividade, the Bishop of Concordia. When news of the miracle spread, a territorial dispute arose over the precious relic. The Bishop of Concordia wished to preserve the miraculous blood-stained cloth in his Cathedral. However, the pastor of Gruaro and the powerful family of the Counts of Valvasone—who were patrons of the local churches—also claimed the right to keep the relic in their territory.

Unable to reach an agreement among themselves, the disputing parties sought recourse with the Holy See in Rome. After careful consideration, Pope Nicholas V issued a formal decree in 1454—160 years after the miracle—settling the dispute. Rome allowed the Counts of Valvasone to retain custody of the sacred relic, but imposed a significant condition: they must build a new church specifically dedicated to the Most Holy Body of Christ. The Counts honored this papal mandate, and construction was completed in 1483. The title of the parish church was officially changed from St. Giusto to the Church of the Most Holy Body of Christ.

The blood-stained altar cloth is preserved to this day in a crystal cylinder, held by an exquisite silver reliquary crafted by master silversmith Antonio Calligari in 1755. The relic is housed in the Church of the Most Holy Body of Christ in Valvasone. Each year, the miraculous cloth is carried in solemn procession during Corpus Christi celebrations, and the feast is officially commemorated on the 5th Thursday of Lent, concluding days of Eucharistic adoration with the participation of priests and the faithful of Valvasone. The Church of St. Giusto in Gruaro features a rose window depicting the miracle, serving as a permanent memorial to the young housemaid's discovery.

The blood-stained linen cloth is kept in a crystal cylinder, held by a precious silver reliquary made by master craftsman Antonio Calligari in 1755, housed in the Church of the Most Holy Body of Christ in Valvasone.