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

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[Bigg Red]

No one knows what Christ looked like...


***

Shroud of Turin

[Bigg Red]

My mother taught me a long time ago that if you let someone know he is getting your goat it will encourage him. However, if you ignore him he will go away frustrated.

[Pahuanui]

What that demonstrates is that common images purportedly of Christ at a certain time in history resemble, to some degree, that of the image on the shroud.

There is still substantial debate on a number of different subjects, such as whether there is blood on the shroud or if it's pigmentation, etc....

You may find this interesting

[Pahuanui]

My mother taught me a long time ago that if you let someone know he is getting your goat it will encourage him.

Most excellent advice.

My mother taught me that it is foolish to protest that one's goat has been got when indeed it's been standing right there, the whole time, where it's always been.

[Flying Circus]

People were not represented as images of physical perfection or in exacting detail. Rather their appearance was nondescript; their function was to represent a historical or biblical character in a symbolic tableau from the Old or New Testament. Consequently, certain facial features, uplifted hands and eyes, etc... became very common elements in such art.

The point you seem to be missing is that it is in the details... the shape of the nose, the eyes, the mouth the beard... that the pictures show great agreement between icons, the shroud, and various holy face miracles agree. These details are not a matter of the technique used, but are identifying features of an actual person. What this implies is that there is a single source for the inspiration.

What we know is that icons are not creative exercises, but very stylized to teaching tools. In producing them iconographers tend to follow very closely the models they are given from tradition. Given that for especially old icons there is largely agreement on many features, we can say there was little drift from the original model. Given the rate of drift on the features of Jesus' face in icons through the centuries, we can extrapolate that the model is coming from a time when people were alive who knew Jesus.

As there anyone else in history who is recorded as having the combination of scourging, being crowned with thorns (multiple crowns actually, representing both king and jewish priest), and being nailed to the cross in crucifiction?

That does not, however, confirm the veracity of the shroud and who it may or may not represent.

Now you are being absurd. If it is not a forgery, there are too many unique details for it reasonably to come from anyone other that Jesus, and if it is, the similarity to the icons implies that they are from the same source. If it is a forgery, it was clearly meant to represent Christ.

But, if it is a forgery, how were they able to make the image? It strains the imagination to conceive how a forgery could be produced with so many anatomically, and historically correct details as the shroud. And why would a forgery contain so many details that could not be seen by the naked eye, but only picked up centuries later with photographic technologies?

[Pahuanui]

The point you seem to be missing is that it is in the details... the shape of the nose, the eyes, the mouth the beard... that the pictures show great agreement between icons, the shroud, and various holy face miracles agree.

No, if you look back, I do not dispute those facts, but rather consider the fact that there is consistency irrelevant.

These details are not a matter of the technique used, but are identifying features of an actual person. What this implies is that there is a single source for the inspiration.

No, you are inferring that there was a single source for the inspiration. There is still no evidence that a single source, or even a limited number of similar sources, were indeed originally accurate.

What we know is that icons are not creative exercises, but very stylized to teaching tools. In producing them iconographers tend to follow very closely the models they are given from tradition. Given that for especially old icons there is largely agreement on many features, we can say there was little drift from the original model. Given the rate of drift on the features of Jesus' face in icons through the centuries, we can extrapolate that the model is coming from a time when people were alive who knew Jesus.

That is an optimistic extrapolation that I cannot justify based on available evidence.

As there anyone else in history who is recorded as having the combination of scourging, being crowned with thorns (multiple crowns actually, representing both king and jewish priest), and being nailed to the cross in crucifiction?

That does not, however, confirm the veracity of the shroud and who it may or may not represent.

Now you are being absurd. If it is not a forgery, there are too many unique details for it reasonably to come from anyone other that Jesus, and if it is, the similarity to the icons implies that they are from the same source. If it is a forgery, it was clearly meant to represent Christ.

Now you are being illogical. If it is not a forgery, given the variances in opinion of the data available from the shroud, one could posit that it is a genuine artifact of a first century Roman crucifixion of an adult Jewish male. Was it Jesus? Given the great number of crucifixions of adult Jewish males during that relative time period, and the fact that the overwhelming majority of them were not recorded, you are jumping to a conclusion that I feel is not justified.

But, if it is a forgery, how were they able to make the image? It strains the imagination to conceive how a forgery could be produced with so many anatomically, and historically correct details as the shroud. And why would a forgery contain so many details that could not be seen by the naked eye, but only picked up centuries later with photographic technologies?

Unlike others, I don't pretend to know one way or another.

[Litany]

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood,Soul and Divinity of Your dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

[Flying Circus]

For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

[sneakers]

Thanks for this post. I believe in the Real Presence without miracles such as this, but it is an awesome thing when Christ confirms His presence in such a wonderful way!

[Dajjal]

SCULLY: Mulder, the human mind naturally seeks meaningful patterns and configurations in things that don't inherently have any. Given the suggestion of a particular image, you can't help but see that shape somewhere."
-- from "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" (The X-Files, episode 3X04)

[TotusTuus]

Clearly, the miracle is not meant for you two! ;-)

[Pyro7480]

I remember that episode. It was one of the best. But does this mean you don't believe in the miracle?

[TotusTuus]

That assumes rather much, as none of the artists who created those images ever laid eyes on him, ...

How do we know if the earliest icons/paintings of Christ were not written/painted by those who saw Him in the flesh?

In any event, it is not of primary concern. The Bishop's clarification did a good job in describing what is of primary importance to us.

The greatest miracle for us is the Eucharist itself! Anywhere it is offered. That there have been times in history where our Lord has chosen to show forth secondary miracles in union with this great Sacrament/Mystery to help deepen or strengthen Faith (or whatever else for a reason) in It, is His call. These miracles could even follow upon natural causes.

It is not within the normal course of events for the pattern of a face to become present in an exposed Host. Since this occurred here, and since the image seems to match up with images recognized by Christians as that of Christ, then it is not necessarily a mindless step in the dark to suppose that the Author of this (purported) secondary miracle meant for it to be understood as an image of Him confirming His Real Presense in the Eucharist. Either as a reward for the Faithful adoring Him there, or to strengthen their Faith, etc.

Do recognize that even the Bishop invited others to issue explanations for this event that would involve natural phenomena/causes. If you have any, I'm sure he would be delighted hearing from you as it would aid in his investigation in determining whether or not this is truly a supernatural miracle worthy of belief. I gathered from the article that he hasn't done that yet.

[Frumanchu]

He did not ask a question. He ridiculed the post.

He brought up a valid point. That it happened to be viewed by you as redicule is not his fault. He openly admitted that he was expressing his opinion regarding the validity of the images and article you posted. You then accused him of harassment and abuse. There was nothing abusive or harassing at all in his post...he simply expressed an opinion that did not agree with your own.

He would well justified in pinging the moderator for slander and personal attack.

When I last I checked this was still an open forum. If you can't handle criticism, don't post. If you don't want criticism, ignore it...or don't post.

[Dajjal]

I remember that episode. It was one of the best. But does this mean you don't believe in the miracle?

I should've made a link to the full transcript. Darin Morgan, a true genius, wrote that episode. If you see his name on something -- watch it. It'll be great.

Well, I don't outright disbelieve -- but I don't believe, either. Certainly not on the basis of a magazine article.

Maybe it's the influence of Jesuitical rationalism on me, but I tend to be very cautious when it comes to the face of Christ or the Blessed Virgin appearing on this or that. It's simply being prudent.

What to speak of the Vatican, the local bishop seems cautious in his statement about it. He calls it extraordinry (literally meaning that ordinary hosts do not have such markings) and says that Christ might have a reason for producing such a sign. But if I read him rightly, he does not pronounce the event supernatural. Rather, he uses it as a springboard for preaching the doctrine of the Real Presence, which we are bound to believe.

And, semiotically, a face on a host does not particularly reinforce the doctrine of the Real Presence. An image of a face can be interpretted in many ways. I mean, say, compared to the Eucharistic Miracle at Lanciano.

And, I hate to remind anyone, but now and then over the last two millennia a priest has been guilty of fraud in creating little "miracles" either for his own ego, or mistakingly thinking that frauds will increase parishoners' faith.

Or, if not fraud, it there may be a natural explanation for random discoloration, which in this case looks like an image of a face.

If anyone hears that Roma has locutaed anything on this one, let me know.

[Pyro7480]

Good point, concerning Lanciano. It's miraculous just in the fact that this has been going on for over a thousand years!

[tiki]

Did you know that the Vilnious Divine Mercy portrait fits exactly with the shroud?

[Flying Circus]

Yeah... that is the point I made... there are a number of ancient icons that match the shroud exactly. The similarities are more than could happen by accident. These things have survived at least 15 centuries, but people find it so unbelieveable that nothing trustworthy could have made it less than 5 centuries that progressed between the time when witnesses to Christ lived and these icon were created.

[Thorondir]

Give it up and go away. Everybody here sees you for exactly what you are. Just quit trying to backpeddle and go away.

[Catholicguy]

Beautiful. That Bishop was certainly well-schooled. magnificient