In January of 2020, ChurchPOP reported that the Holy Face of Jesus allegedly appeared on a Eucharistic host in India.
The Vatican recently approved this Eucharistic miracle in India, 12 years after it occurred.
The Holy Face of Jesus Christ appeared on a Eucharistic host at Christ the King Church, Vilakkannur, a parish in Kerala, India. The parish, also part of the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Tellicherry, sent the host to Rome for scientific evaluation.
The Holy Face of Jesus first appeared on the host on Nov. 15, 2013, while then-parish pastor Rev. Fr. Thomas Pathickal celebrated morning Mass.
Thousands came to the parish to venerate and view the host.
According to Matters India,
“The district administration had to intervene as the crowds blocked the road to Paithalmala, a major tourist place in northern Kerala.”
However, three days after the miracle occurred, the diocese took the host for scientific evaluation. They later returned it to Christ the King parish for veneration.
At the time, the diocese said the host “should be kept on a specially arranged place on a side altar along with other relics in the church,” and cannot be stored on the main altar or used for Eucharistic adoration.
However, as of May 2025, the Vatican confirmed that the miracle is authentic.
A statement on the Eucharistic miracle’s official website says,
"The Vatican has officially recognized a Eucharistic miracle at Christ the King Church in Vilakkannur, Kerala, India. The event occurred on November 15, 2013, during a regular morning Mass celebrated by Fr. Thomas Pathickal. While elevating the large host during the consecration, the priest noticed a mysterious spot on it. As the Mass progressed, the spot grew brighter and gradually revealed what appeared to be the face of Jesus Christ."
In another statement dating back to January 2020, the website said,
“The Theological Commission of Syro-Malabar Church made a detailed study of the miraculous incident as per the guidelines of the Holy See and declared that the Eucharist is a Relic of Divinity."
“On Sept. 21, 2018, Mar George Njaralakatt ceremoniously placed it on the side altar of Christ the King Church, Vilakkannur, for prayers and reverence. Many people received miraculous blessings by praying before the relic.”
Here is a photo of the Eucharistic miracle in India below:
Former parish trustee Baby Joseph Payikatt told Matters India in 2020 that the parish took the host to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church headquarters in Kakkanad, India, where they gave it to Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro.
Christ the King Church held a special Mass and said prayers on Jan. 10, 2020, before sending the host to the apostolic nuncio.
Payikatt also said “hundreds of people” came “to pray in the parish over the past six years,” and that “the phenomenon had brought considerable changes in the parishioners’ spiritual and social lives.”
Archbishop George Njaralakatt also asked the parish to document “signs and supernatural” occurrences resulting from the Eucharistic miracle.