The small town of Eten in the province of Chiclayo, in northern Peru, is best known for a purported Eucharistic miracle. The phenomenon is said to have taken place twice, on June 2 and July 22, 1649. On those dates, the face of the Baby Jesus is said to have appeared on a consecrated host during major religious celebrations.
Although the Catholic Church has not officially recognized the phenomenon, the election of Pope Leo XIV — former bishop of Chiclayo — has given the population new hope. Many see him as the man designated by Divine Providence to finally bring recognition to this miracle that is more than three centuries old.
The events are said to have begun on June 2, 1649, during the solemn celebration of Corpus Christi, on the site of a village founded by the Spanish. As the priest was preparing to replace the monstrance after the blessing of the Blessed Sacrament, the faithful reportedly saw the radiant face of the Baby Jesus with brown curls of hair appear on a consecrated host.
The miracle is said to have happened again on July 22 of the same year, the feast day of Saint Mary Magdalene, patron saint of the town. Once again, the face of the Baby Jesus appeared, dressed in a purple tunic, the traditional garment worn by the inhabitants of Eten. These apparitions left a lasting impression on the collective memory.
Carlo Acutis included this miracle on his website about Eucharistic miracles; we can still visit the page today, even in an English translation!
A local devotion that lives on
Even today, the local devotion born of these events continues, with processions and pilgrimages. Devotees continue to flock to the alleged sites of the miracle. “Every week, new people testify to having received a special grace,” Eduardo Zarpan, 26, who works as a guide at the site, told AFP.
Pope Leo XIV, former archbishop of Chiclayo, knew the place well. It was an integral part of his diocese, and he had a special affection for it. As proof of this, in 2019, he decided to take steps to have the miracle recognized by the Church and to build a shrine in memory of it.
"The Eucharistic miracle is a gift for all of Peru. The construction of this new shrine is a task that falls to all of us. It’s a dream that we want to make reality," he said in 2022.
“Leo XIV will contribute significantly to the official recognition of the miracle. We expect a lot from him,” said a 72-year-old retired teacher. “It would also bring great pride to the people and recognition of their faith,” she added, speaking to AFP.
“He won’t delay in coming (...), God willing, I will live to see him as pope,” hopes an elderly man, a former maker of straw hats, a craft emblematic of the city. There’s great anticipation among Peruvians, for whom this recognition would renew a devotion that has been deeply rooted for three centuries and bears witness to the living presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
