Eucharistic Miracle at Vilakkannur, India – The Holy Face of Jesus in the Consecrated Host

The Eucharistic miracle of Vilakkannur is a Vatican-recognized extraordinary sign in which the face of Jesus appeared on a consecrated host at Christ the King Church, Vilakkannur, in the Archdiocese of Thalassery, Kerala. This event, first witnessed in 2013 and officially recognized in 2025, is now honoured as India’s first Eucharistic miracle.​

The Village and the Parish

Vilakkannur is a small village in Kannur district, Kerala, known for its deep-rooted Catholic faith and simple rural life. The local parish, Christ the King Church, belongs to the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Thalassery and has long been a spiritual centre for the surrounding Christian community. Daily Mass, catechism, and Eucharistic devotion are integral to the life of this parish, which would later become the site of an extraordinary Eucharistic sign.​

The Event of 15 November 2013

On the morning of 15 November 2013, during Holy Mass at Christ the King Church, the parish priest, Fr Thomas Pathikkal (Pathickal/Patikkal), elevated the consecrated host during the Eucharistic Prayer. As he did so, he noticed an unusual mark on the host, which, before his eyes and those of the faithful, gradually took the form of a human face resembling that of Jesus Christ.​

Shocked and deeply moved, the priest carefully set the host aside and preserved it with reverence, following liturgical and diocesan norms. News of the phenomenon spread quickly among parishioners and neighbouring communities, and people began to come to the church to pray before the host bearing the mysterious image.​

Early Ecclesial Response and Safekeeping

The incident was promptly reported to the authorities of the Archdiocese of Thalassery. A sub-committee of theologians and experts was set up in 2013 to examine the facts, hear testimonies, and discern whether the phenomenon showed signs of a Eucharistic miracle. The host, now referred to as the “miracle host,” was kept under safe custody by the archdiocese and periodically made available for veneration under proper supervision.​

From September 2018 to January 2020, the host was again brought back to Vilakkannur Church for public veneration, where many faithful spent hours in silent adoration before the Holy Face seen in the Eucharist. The theological commission of the Syro-Malabar Church later reported strong theological grounds to support that this was indeed a Eucharistic miracle.​

Scientific Investigations

In addition to theological inquiry, the Church ordered scientific investigations to rule out natural or fraudulent explanations. In 2024, the host underwent detailed analysis at Christ University in Bengaluru, along with other scientific studies both in India and abroad.​

Specialists concluded that the image was formed from the substance of the host itself, with no trace of added pigments, external contamination, or foreign materials. These findings, together with the consistent testimonies and the theological evaluation, contributed significantly to the judgment that the event could be recognized as a Eucharistic miracle.​

Vatican Recognition: India’s First Eucharistic Miracle

On 19 March 2025, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, through the Apostolic Nuncio in India, communicated that there was no doctrinal or canonical obstacle to recognizing the Vilakkannur event as an extraordinary Eucharistic sign. On 9–10 May 2025, Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Thalassery publicly announced that the Vatican had officially recognized the Eucharistic miracle that occurred at Vilakkannur on 15 November 2013.​

With this recognition, the Church in India received the grace of its first officially acknowledged Eucharistic miracle, placing Vilakkannur among the limited number of places worldwide where such events have been authenticated.​

Solemn Declaration and Celebration at Vilakkannur

A grand solemn Mass and ceremony were organized at Christ the King Church, Vilakkannur, on 31 May 2025 to celebrate the Vatican declaration. The Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, presided over the liturgy, joined by Archbishop Joseph Pamplany, numerous bishops, priests of the archdiocese, religious, and thousands of lay faithful.​

During the celebration, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Rev. Dr Biju Muttathukunnel, read the Vatican decree in Malayalam for the gathered faithful. The miraculous host was brought in procession and installed in a specially designed pedestal within the church, so that the people could clearly see and adore the Holy Face in the Eucharist.​

Permanent Exposition and Pilgrimage Site

Following the declaration, Christ the King Church, Vilakkannur, has become a place of special Eucharistic pilgrimage. The miraculous host is preserved in a secure, dignified monstrance or reliquary-like setting, allowing the faithful to adore the Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament and to contemplate the mysterious image on the host.​

Pilgrims from different parts of Kerala, India, and abroad now visit Vilakkannur to participate in Holy Mass, Eucharistic adoration, and other devotional practices centred on this Eucharistic sign. Local initiatives include special hours of adoration, catechesis for children and youth, and devotions that highlight the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.​

Spiritual Message of the Miracle

Several church leaders and spiritual writers have reflected on the deeper message of the Vilakkannur Eucharistic miracle. The image of the Holy Face on the host is seen as a call to recognize Christ’s presence not only in the Eucharist but also in every human person, especially the poor, the suffering, and the marginalized.​

The miracle invites the faithful to:

• Renew faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and approach Holy Communion with greater reverence and love.​
• Spend more time in Eucharistic adoration, opening their hearts to the merciful gaze of Christ, whose face shines forth from the altar.​
• See the face of Christ in brothers and sisters, practising charity, forgiveness, and unity within the Church and in society.​

A Call to Deeper Eucharistic Devotion

The Vilakkannur miracle has come at a time when the universal Church is strongly encouraging renewed Eucharistic devotion and catechesis. In this context, the sign given in this small village in Kerala is perceived as a loving reminder that the same Jesus who walked the roads of Galilee is truly present under the humble appearances of bread and wine.​

For the faithful who visit Vilakkannur or who hear about this event, the most important response is not mere curiosity but conversion of heart. By deepening love for the Holy Eucharist, living a sacramental life, and seeing Christ in one another, believers allow the grace of this miracle to bear fruit far beyond the boundaries of a single parish or region.

Prayer before the Eucharistic Miracle of Vilakkannur

Lord Jesus, truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist,
we adore Your holy Face shining forth from the consecrated Host at Vilakkannur.​ You revealed this gentle image to strengthen our faith and to draw us closer to the mystery of Your love.

Grant that, as we gaze upon Your Eucharistic Face,
we may recognize You in the breaking of the Bread
and in every brother and sister who suffers, is lonely, or in need.​ Purify our hearts, heal our families, and unite Your Church in peace and charity.

Jesus, hidden yet truly present in the Blessed Sacrament,
teach us to love the Mass, to receive You worthily in Holy Communion, and to remain with You in adoration with grateful and trusting hearts.​

O Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, and all the saints who loved the Holy Face of Jesus, intercede for us, that this miracle may bear fruit in a new life of holiness.​

Amen.