Discover the Eucharistic Miracle of Scala: the Signs of the Passion in the Exposed Host

Above Amalfi, in the silence of the oldest town of the Coast, the monastery of the Most Holy Redeemer in Scala was the scene in 1732 of a prolonged and solemn prodigy: for over three months, during the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the signs of the Passion of Our Lord appeared in the Host. Among the witnesses, a giant of holiness: Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori.

The Autumn of 1732

In the monastery of the nuns later called Redemptoristines — founded by the Venerable Sister Maria Celeste Crostarosa — Eucharistic adoration was the heart of the day. From September 1732, during the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, those present began to see the signs of the Passion appear in the Host: the cross, the scourges, the crown of thorns, the instruments of the Redeemer’s suffering. The phenomenon recurred for over three months, before nuns, priests and faithful who flocked from all over the Coast.

Saint Alphonsus and the Birth of the Redemptorists

Among those who contemplated the prodigy was Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori, who in Scala itself, in November of that year 1732, founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. The Eucharistic apparitions were read as heavenly confirmation of the new foundation, devoted to preaching and to contemplation of the mystery of Redemption. Scala is thus at once the cradle of the Redemptorists and the keeper of a Eucharistic miracle.

Scala and its Monastery

The monastery overlooks the Dragone valley facing Ravello, in one of the most celebrated landscapes in the world. The Redemptoristine community preserves there the memories of Crostarosa and of Saint Alphonsus, while the cathedral of San Lorenzo and the medieval hamlets make Scala a destination of pilgrimage and beauty.

Historical Clues and “Adventurous” Research:

• The writings of Crostarosa: the memoirs of the venerable foundress recount the months of the prodigy from within.
• The Alphonsian letters: search the Alphonsian sources for references to the apparitions of Scala and the spiritual climate of the foundation.
• The iconography of the Passion in the Host: compare the witnesses’ descriptions with artistic depictions of the prodigy.

Useful Information for Pilgrims

• Address: Monastery of the Most Holy Redeemer, Scala (SA), Italy
• Opening Hours: enquire with the monastery of the Redemptoristine nuns or the parish of Scala.
• Getting There: Scala is reached from Amalfi on the road up to Ravello (SR373); the monastery is near the centre.

Historical source: the international exhibition “The Eucharistic Miracles of the World” created by Carlo Acutis (miracolieucaristici.org).