The Catholic Defender: Eucharistic Miracle of Angela of Foligno

When Angela had visions of the Eucharist, she would see the Host radiating such luminous beauty, "it surpassed the splendor of the sun." At another time, there appeared "two most splendid Eyes" in the Host, looking at her. She was also gifted with a vision of the Eucharist where the Child Jesus appeared in the Host, resplendently dressed, majestically seated on a throne. So passionately was she consumed by the Eucharist, one day she cried out she wished she could receive Communion every day.

Angela reported that after her soul experienced itself nestled within the Holy Trinity, the soul was able to understand that Jesus was everywhere - in the Eucharist, in the Word and in everyone she met. But then her soul asked the Lord, why did she feel closest to Him in the Ciborium! The Lord responded that it was because through the Priest's words of consecration, He dwelt inside the Ciborium. And He added it was by a special miracle that this comes to pass.

Another time, as the Priest raised the Host, she heard the Father say, "Behold the Man Who was crucified." And with the eyes of her soul she saw Jesus. At another time, during the consecration, when the Priest raised the Host, she saw Jesus descending down upon the Altar, accompanied by a host of Angels.

With one vision of God, King of the Universe, displaying His power and involvement in all of His creation, she was so enthralled with His Divine Presence, her soul cried out,

If you want faith, pray. If you want hope, pray. If you want charity, pray. If you want poverty, pray. If you want obedience, pray. If you want chastity, pray. If you want humility, pray. If you want meekness, pray. If you want fortitude, pray. If you want any virtue, pray."

Angela is said to have received mystical revelations,

"No one can be saved without divine light. Divine light causes us to begin and to make progress, and it leads us to the summit of perfection. Therefore if you want to begin and to receive this divine light, pray. If you have begun to make progress, pray. And if you have reached the summit of perfection, and want to be super-illumined so as to remain in that state, pray. If you want faith, pray. If you want hope, pray. If you want charity, pray. If you want poverty, pray. If you want obedience, pray. If you want chastity, pray. If you want humility, pray. If you want meekness, pray. If you want fortitude, pray. If you want any virtue, pray."

"And pray in this fashion: always reading the Book of Life, that is, the life of the God-man, Jesus Christ, whose life consisted of poverty, pain, contempt and true obedience."

At Christmas 1308, Angela told her companions she would die shortly. A few days later, she had a vision of Christ appearing to her and promising to come personally to take her to heaven. She died in her sleep on 3 January 1309.

"I realized my sinfulness; I was seized with a great fear of being damned, and I shed a flood of tears. I went to confession to be relieved of my sins, but through shame I concealed the most grievous ones, but still I went to Communion. Now my conscience tortured me day and night. I called upon St. Francis for help, and, moved by an inner impulse, I went into a church where a Franciscan Father was then preaching.

"I gathered courage to confess all my sins to him, and I did this immediately after the sermon. With zeal and perseverance I performed the penance he imposed, but my heart continued to be full of bitterness and shame. I recognized that the divine mercy has saved me from hell, hence I resolved to do rigorous penance; nothing seemed too difficult for me, because I felt I belonged in hell. I called upon the saints, and especially upon the Blessed Virgin, to intercede with God for me.

"My son, if you were to see my heart you would be absolutely obliged to do everything God wants, because my heart is God's heart and God's heart is mine". Here St Paul's words ring out: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2: 20).

God permitted Angela to be afflicted with severe and horrible temptations that greatly distressed her soul. The fire of concupiscence, the sins of the flesh, raged so furiously that she said: “I would rather be surrounded with flames and continually roasted, than to give in to such things.” She called out to God: “Glory to Thee, O Lord! Thy Cross is my resting place.” These painful trials lasted over two years; but then the purified and tested servant of the Lord was filled with great consolations.

Angela obtained a marvellous insight into divine things and was very frequently found in ecstasy. For many years holy Communion was her only food, until at last, completely purified, she entered into heaven on January 4, 1309.

For many years holy Communion was her only food

On 9 October 2013, Pope Francis completed what had already been started by his predecessors by canonizing Angela da Foligno, using the process of “equipollent” canonization.

Blessed Angela of Foligno said,

"To know oneself and to know God, that is the perfection of man; without this knowledge, visions and the greatest gifts are of no account."

Pope Innocent XIII beatified Angela in 1693, and on October 9, 2013, Pope Francis declared her a saint. Her patrons are those afflicted by sexual temptation, as well as widows.

Pope Innocent XII beatified her in 1693.