James O' Reilly
These could be the famous vineyards of Florence in winter; this the balcony that inspired William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet; this fresco could be from any corner of picturesque Palermo; and these houses could be in Caprese Michelangelo.
But this is not Florence, Verona, Palermo, or Caprese Michelangelo. It is Valvasone, a small medieval town in northeastern Italy. With just over 2,000 inhabitants, its 15th century cathedral hides several secrets.
To discover them, you have to pass through its enormous doors, which are made of 24 bronze panels depicting the history of Christianity.
Upon entering, you are met with a pleasant surprise: a relic of a 13th century Eucharistic miracle. And its on the altar.
GIOVANNA TOSETTO
Tourist guide, Friuli-Venecia Julia (Italy)
A woman had been given this altar cloth from the Church of San Giusto Church in Gruaro to wash. While cleaning it, she noticed a red color running from the cloth, like blood. Frightened, she went to the parish priest of San Giusto to explain what had happened. In fact, a small fragment of a Eucharistic host had remained inside the cloth, which had likely released this blood-like stain.
The Church recently canonized a young saint who created a website to track Eucharistic miracles—it was of course St. Carlo Acutis. One of the miracles Acutis documented on his special website none other than the one at Valvasone.
GIOVANNA TOSETTO
Tourist guide, Friuli-Venecia Julia (Italy)
Carlo Acutis somehow tried to reach the hearts of believers, but also those of the most skeptical and doubtful, guiding them toward a miracle that has persisted for many centuries. As confirmation of this, anyone who observes the reliquary preserved in the Cathedral can verify that it still shows traces of this blood, thus attesting to this Eucharistic miracle
Previous controversy over the
custody of the relic led Pope Nicholas V to entrust it to the Valvason family, where the town gets its name. But he had one request—the Valvsaons had to build this church to house it.
And this is not the only thing the cathedral holds. Take a look at this organ. It dates back to the 16th century and has been restored twice.
GIOVANNA TOSETTO
Tourist guide, Friuli-Venecia Julia (Italy)
The sound produced by its pipes is still the original sound.
Unfortunately, the organ’s doors are always open, but if we were to close them, you would see the manna from heaven—the miracle of the manna from heaven—so there is this enormous scene that covers both doors of the organ.
For the people of Valvasone, it is one of their greatest local treasures. Not everyone can calim to have one of the oldest organs in Italy.
