Peru celebrates Eucharistic miracle with call to renew love for Eucharist

On June 2, the 377th anniversary of the first apparition of the Divine Child of the Eucharistic Miracle of Eten in Chiclayo province, northern Peru, the group Eucharistic Miracle Peru 1649 renewed its invitation to focus on the Eucharist and to live it with greater faith and unity.

The miracle dates back to 1649 in the old town of Santa Magdalena de Ciudad Eten, when on the eve of the solemnity of Corpus Christi, “the Divine Child appeared on a consecrated host” during Mass. Months later, on July 22 of that same year, there was a new apparition of the Divine Child on the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene. It then disappeared, and in its place there were “three intertwined hearts symbolizing the Most Holy Trinity.”

These events, recorded by ecclesiastical authorities of the time, have been preserved in historical documents that are currently housed in San Francisco Convent in Lima and in the National Archive of the Indies in Seville, Spain.

‘A gift from God for living in communion’

In observance of the occasion, the group Eucharistic Miracle Peru 1649 noted that its mission is simple yet profound: to draw more people closer to a love for the Eucharist.

They also recalled the words of the then-bishop of Chiclayo, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, who was one of the driving forces behind the recognition of the miracle by the Vatican.

During a celebration in Eten, he stated: “This beautiful gift, that great gift which God, the source of all life and of all that is good… this gift that God has bestowed here, in this place, with you and for you, is given precisely to experience this joy of being united in the communion of the Church with the Child of the Miracle.”

In 2019, Prevost presented Pope Francis with a document regarding the history of the Miracle of Eten, which compiled “20,000 testimonies of faith,” and that same year he stated: “This miracle is approved on the basis of a continuous tradition in the city of Eten.”

Faith lived in daily life

Beyond the commemorative events, the celebration was also marked by new stories of faith.

One of them is that of Gabriel Crosby Sánchez. His mother, Arabella, recounted with emotion how, from a very young age, she placed him under the protection of the Child of the Miracle and took him every Saturday to the so-called “Masses of Promise.”

Over time, that practice bore fruit: Today, Gabriel serves as an acolyte at St. John Vianney Parish in the Magdalena del Mar district of metro Lima.

For his family and the community, his story is a simple but strong sign that the faith is passed on at home, in everyday life, and that when lived with perseverance it can transform lives.

A devotion that continues its journey

On this anniversary, the group Eucharistic Miracle Peru 1649 expressed special gratitude for the warm welcome extended by the community of Magdalena del Mar, where the image of the Divine Child of the Miracle was recently received.

The group also renewed its invitation to the faithful to join the spiritual pilgrimage currently traveling through various regions of the country — including central Lima, Comas, Lurín, and Bellavista as a preparation for the expected visit of the Holy Father.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.