MORRIS, Ind. — A recent investigation into mysterious red marks discovered on a Communion wafer at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Morris, Indiana, yielded no supernatural explanations. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis announced the results of a laboratory analysis, which found no miraculous events associated with the wafer.
The incident was peculiar enough to warrant a detailed inspection, as the church had hoped for a potential miracle. However, the results revealed only the presence of common substances. According to the Archdiocese, the analysis showed “fungus and three different species of bacteria, all of which are commonly found on human hands.” No traces of blood were detected.
The Catholic Church practices the consecration of wine and bread wafers during Mass, symbolizing the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This particular host with the red marks had accidentally fallen from a Mass kit during a service at the church.
The Archdiocese remarked on the historical precedence of miracles and apparitions within the Catholic Church, all subjected to thorough and careful investigation. Nonetheless, the recent findings suggested a more mundane origin.
Before the analysis results were disclosed, some church members expressed anticipation and hope for a miracle. “We have such a little town. You can drive through and blink and you’re through it,” shared Shari Strassell, a member of St. Anthony Church, in an interview. “It means the world, it does, and I think there is something special about our church up here.” Although the analysis confirmed no miracle had occurred, the community continued to cherish its unwavering faith.