Lanciano, Italy — 750 AD
The basic facts
Section titled “The basic facts”In the town of Lanciano, Italy, sometime in the 8th century, a consecrated host and wine were reportedly preserved in their transformed state after a Mass at a small monastery. The preserved tissue and blood remained in Lanciano for over twelve centuries.
In 1970, they were submitted for scientific analysis.
The investigators were not asked to determine whether a miracle had occurred. They were asked to determine what the substance was.
The investigation (1970–1971)
Section titled “The investigation (1970–1971)”Who conducted it
Section titled “Who conducted it”The analysis was authorized by the local archdiocese and carried out by:
- Professor Odoardo Linoli — Professor of Anatomy and Histological Chemistry, Head of the Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy at the Hospital of Arezzo, faculty at the University of Siena
- Professor Ruggero Bertelli — Professor of Human Anatomy, University of Siena
The investigation ran from November 18, 1970 to March 4, 1971.
Linoli published his findings in a peer-reviewed journal:
Linoli, O. (1971). Ricerche istologiche, immunologiche e biochimiche sulla carne e sul sangue del miracolo eucaristico di Lanciano. Quaderni Sclavo di Diagnostica Clinica e di Laboratorio, 7(3), 661–674.
Title page of the original Italian peer-reviewed paper — Professor of Anatomy and Histological Chemistry, University of Siena
Contact the Diocese of Chieti-Vasto or the Lanciano shrine directly for a copy. Joan Carroll Cruz's 'Eucharistic Miracles' (TAN Books, 1987) contains translated excerpts.
What they found
Section titled “What they found”The Flesh was identified as striated muscular tissue of the myocardium — the wall of the heart.
Specifically, the sections showed:
- Myocardium (middle layer of the heart wall)
- Endocardium (inner layer lining the heart chambers)
- Vagus nerve fibers — the nerve that regulates cardiac rhythm
- Clearly identifiable sections of the left ventricle
From Linoli’s published report:
“The flesh is real flesh. It is constituted by the myocardium — the cardiac muscle tissue. One can observe present in the sections: the myocardium, the endocardium, the vagal fibers. The sections also reveal fibers of the left ventricle of the heart.”
Linoli's description of the tissue: cardiac muscle (myocardium), endocardium, vagus nerve, left ventricle — the passage establishing it as human heart tissue
Same paper — screenshot the histological analysis section. The Lanciano shrine press kit may contain a photograph of this page.
The tissue is human. Its origin as cardiac muscle is not disputed by anyone who has examined the histology.
The Blood was identified as real human blood, type AB.
Analysis of the blood revealed:
- Protein composition normally fractionated — consistent with fresh, healthy human blood
- Albumin and globulin ratios within normal range
- Mineral composition (chlorides, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium) present in normal proportions
- Behavior consistent with freshly drawn blood during coagulation analysis
From Linoli’s report:
“The blood is real blood. Its blood group is the same as that found in the flesh: AB. The proteins are normally fractionated with the same percentage ratio as those found in the sero-proteic pattern of fresh normal blood.”
Linoli's blood analysis: type AB, protein fractionation consistent with fresh normal blood — from a sample preserved without refrigeration or chemicals for over 1,200 years
Same paper — screenshot the blood chemistry and typing section
No preservatives of any kind were found in either sample.
| Finding | Result |
|---|---|
| Species | Human |
| Tissue type (Flesh) | Myocardium — cardiac muscle, left ventricle |
| Structures identified | Myocardium, endocardium, vagus nerve |
| Blood type | AB |
| Blood protein ratios | Normal — consistent with fresh, healthy blood |
| Preservatives | None found |
| Bacterial contamination | None found |
| Blood type match across Flesh and Blood | Yes — both AB |
| Behavior of coagulated blood | Consistent with freshly drawn blood |
The five coagulated globules
Section titled “The five coagulated globules”The Blood preserved at Lanciano consists of five coagulated globules of different sizes and shapes.
When weighed, the ancient record associated with the preservation claims that each globule weighs the same individually — and that together, all five weigh the same as any one of them. Linoli’s investigation noted this property. It has not been explained.
The World Health Organization review (1973)
Section titled “The World Health Organization review (1973)”Linoli’s findings were not accepted without further scrutiny. In 1973, the Higher Council of the World Health Organization appointed a scientific commission to independently review his work.
The commission conducted 500 separate examinations over 15 months.
Their conclusion: Linoli’s findings were confirmed in every material respect. No fraud was found. No natural explanation for the origin or preservation of the tissue was offered.
The connection to Buenos Aires (1996)
Section titled “The connection to Buenos Aires (1996)”Over a thousand years later, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a very different investigation produced remarkably similar findings:
- A forensic cardiologist given a biological sample with no explanation of its origin identified it as human cardiac muscle from the left ventricle
- The blood type was AB
- The white blood cells in the tissue were visibly moving under the microscope
The two investigations were conducted independently, by different scientists, on different continents, 1,246 years apart. The tissue type and blood type match.
Read the Buenos Aires investigation →
Add a video
Section titled “Add a video”Add images
Section titled “Add images”Place image files in public/images/lanciano/ and reference them here:
See /public/images/README.md for guidance on finding appropriate images.
The preserved relics today
Section titled “The preserved relics today”The Flesh and Blood are kept in a reliquary above the high altar of the Church of San Francesco (formerly St. Legonziano), Lanciano, Chieti, Italy. They are available for examination by pilgrims and researchers year-round.
The shrine is open to scientific researchers who wish to perform further investigation.
Primary sources
Section titled “Primary sources”| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Linoli, O. (1971). Quaderni Sclavo, 7(3), 661–674 | Peer-reviewed scientific paper | Original histological, immunological, and biochemical analysis |
| Bertelli, R. (1971). Independent verification | Scientific report | University of Siena, confirms Linoli’s findings |
| WHO Higher Council Commission (1973–1974) | Scientific review | 500 examinations; confirmed all findings |
| Eucharistic Miracles of the World (Vatican International Exhibition) | Exhibition catalogue | Includes photographic documentation |
Further reading
Section titled “Further reading”- Cruz, J. C. (1987). Eucharistic Miracles. TAN Books. — Chapter on Lanciano includes translated excerpts from Linoli’s report.
- Proctor, D. (2003). The Science of Miracles. — Includes a lay summary of the Lanciano investigation.
- The Shrine of the Eucharistic Miracle, Lanciano — Official documentation available through the Diocese of Chieti-Vasto.