Plaza of the Three Martyrs, Rimini: Saint Anthony's Eucharistic Miracle.
In the city of Rimini, it is still possible
today to visit the church built in honor of
the Eucharistic Miracle worked by St.
Anthony of Padua in 1227. This episode
is cited as well in the Begninitas, a work
considered to be among the most ancient
sources for the life of St. Anthony. “This
holy man was conversing with a Cathar
heretic who was against the Sacrament of
the Eucharist, and the Saint was on the
point of leading him to the Catholic Faith.
But this heretic, after the many and varied
arguments, declared: ‘If you, Anthony,
succeed with a miracle in proving to me
that the Body of Christ is truly present in
Holy Communion, then I, after totally renouncing heresy, will immediately convert to the
Catholic Faith. Why don’t we issue a challenge? I will close up one of my animals for three
days in a cage, and will make it feel the torment of hunger. After three days, I will lead it out in
public and will show it some prepared food. You will stand out in front with a monstrance
containing the Body of Christ. If the animal, passing up the fodder, hastens to adore his God, I
will embrace the faith of your Church.’” St. Anthony, enlightened and inspired from on high,
accepted the challenge. The appointment was set in the Piazza Grande or Grand Plaza, (now
the Piazza Tre Martiri or “Plaza of the Three Martyrs”), attracting an immense crowd of curious
observers. On the day appointed, at the hour agreed upon, the subjects of this unusual challenge
made their appearance at the Piazza Grande, followed by their supporters – Saint Anthony by
the Catholic faithful, Bonovillo (this was the Cathar heretic’s name) by his disbelieving allies.
The Saint stepped forward, holding in his hands the consecrated Host enclosed in a monstrance,
the heretic holding the starving mule by his hand. The Saint, after asking for and obtaining
silence, turned to the mule with these words: “By virtue of and in the name of your Creator,
Whom I, however unworthy I may be, hold in my hands, I tell you and command you: come
forward at once and render homage to the Lord with due respect, so that evildoers and heretics
may understand that all creatures should bow before their Creator, Whom the priests hold in
their hands on the altar.” And at once the animal, disregarding his master’s food, obediently
approached the saint: it bent its front paws before the Host and remained there in humble
adoration. Anthony had not been deceived in respecting the sense of fairness on the part of his
opponent, who fell to his feet and publicly renounced his errors, becoming from that day
forward one of the most zealous cooperators of the wonder-working Saint.
therealpresence.org/…st/mir/emc_book003_pdf/e_mir…