Siena, 1730

In Siena, on August 14, 1730, consecrated hosts were stolen from the Church of St. Francis (Basilica di San Francesco). According to tradition, the hosts were found three days later, scattered but intact, and were returned to the church. The hosts were not consumed, and their preservation over time became the focus of devotion.

The preserved hosts have remained uncorrupted for nearly three centuries, a fact that has been the subject of periodic examination and pastoral attention. The Church has not issued a formal decree declaring the preservation supernatural. The Franciscan community has cared for the hosts, and they are displayed for veneration in the basilica.

The account is included in Saint Carlo Acutis's exhibition. Visitors to Siena can visit the Basilica of San Francesco, where the preserved hosts are kept. The devotion centers not on an extraordinary visible change at the moment of consecration, but on the ongoing preservation of the stolen and recovered hosts, which has drawn pilgrims and prompted reflection on the mystery of the Eucharist.