GORKUM-EL ESCORIALNETHERLANDS-SPAIN, 1572

The relic of the Eucharisticmiracle can be venerated eventoday in Spain. But it is keptin the Royal Monastery in El Escorial, but the miraclewas verified in Holland. Some Protestant mercenariesentered into the Catholicchurch in Gorkum and plundered it. As a sign ofinsult, one of the mercenariestrampled a consecrated Hostwith a spiked boot, whichbroke it into three pieces.Immediately from these piercings, it began to drip live Blood and in the Hostsformed themselves like threesmall wounds in the shape of a hoop that is possible tocontemplate even today.

he “Sagrada Forma” (Sacred Form) is keptintact and venerated even today in the sacristyof the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo in

El Escorial (near Madrid). It was desecrated inGorkum (in Holland) in 1572 by some followersof Ulrich Zwingli (the so-called “Geux de laMer”) from the Money of the Prince of Orange.

After invading the city,they began to desecrate it, not saving even thecathedral. In fact, as soon as they entered, theybegan striking the tabernacle with bolts of iron,from which they seized the monstrance thatcontained the Blessed Sacrament. The Host wasthen thrown onto the ground and trampled witha spiked boot which broke it into three pieces.One of the profaners, penitent and upset by thesight, warned the Canon Jean van der Delft who

succeeded in making the Hosts safe. The relic,after having passed through various dangers,was given to King Philip II of Spain in 1594,who then placed it under the care of theMonastery of San Lorenzo in El Escorial. Abovethe altar where the miraculous Hosts are preserv-ed, the Italian artist, Filippo Filippini made fourbas-reliefs in marble and bronze that representsthe phenomenal events. The painting byClaudio Coello (1621-1693) represents theinauguration of the magnificent tabernacle,commissioned by King Carlos II specifically tocontain the precious relic. Each year in ElEscorial, on September 29 and October 28,there are solemn festivities in remembrance ofthe miracle, in which there are moments where thePrecious Host, known by the name of “SagradaForma”, is exposed and carried in procession.

© 2006, Istituto San Clemente I Papa e Martire / The Real Presence Association, Inc.

The “Sagrada Forma” exposed in the gothic temple

King Filippo II

Courtyard of the Church of the Royal Monastery “Escorial”

The “Sagrada Forma”

View of the Royal Monastery of the EscorialGothic temple designed

by Vincente LopezThe Church where the

miracle happened in Holland

The altar where the paintingrecounting the Sagrada Forma is kept

Procession in Honor of theMiracle - Dignitaries of Courtin Adoration before the Sagrada Forma

Painting by Claudio Coello commissioned by Carlos II

Detail of the painting by Claudio Coello

Eucharistic Miracle of

T