Ten years ago, central Italy was shaken by two devastating earthquakes. But beneath the rubble of one destroyed church, a tabernacle held a discovery that many Catholics saw as a powerful sign of hope: 40 consecrated Hosts, still intact more than a year later.
On August 24, 2016, a powerful 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck central Italy, killing nearly 300 people and causing catastrophic damage across several towns. Then, on October 30, a 6.6-magnitude quake devastated the region again, destroying homes, historic buildings, and churches.
Among the badly damaged sites was the Church of Santa Maria Assunta — Our Lady of the Assumption — in Arquata del Tronto.
The second earthquake caused the church to collapse, and its sacred objects were recovered and placed in storage. For more than a year, a locked tabernacle from the ruined church remained unopened among the salvaged items.
Then, in February 2018, Fr. Angelo Ciancotti of the Ascoli Piceno Cathedral helped recover and open the tabernacle.
What he found inside astonished him.
The ciborium had been knocked over during the earthquake, but its lid remained in place. Inside were 40 consecrated Hosts that had remained preserved despite being buried in the aftermath of the disaster for about 16 months.
According to reports at
