Saint Bernard was the central character of an important Eucharistic miracle. The Duke of Aquitania separated himself from the Catholic Church, and he had absolutely no intention of returning to it.
Saint Bernard, after he celebrated Mass, went outside the door of the church to the duke and presented the Blessed Sacrament to him. The Duke, deeply moved by a mysterious force, fell to the ground on his knees, begging forgiveness for having left the Catholic Church.
One of the biographies of Saint Bernard recounts that the saint "came to Aquitania to reconcile to the Church the duke of this province – but since he refused such reconciliation, the saint of God went towards the altar to celebrate the Mass while the duke, having been excommunicated, waited for him outside the door of the church.
After the consecration, Bernard placed the Host on the paten and exited the church, with his face aflame with sacred fire.
"When he arrived in front of the duke, he admonished him with these words: 'We prayed for you and you ridiculed us. Here now, the Son of the Virgin, the Lord of the Church, He Whom you persecute, has come to you. Here, you have before you that Judge whose hands one day will hold your soul.
Perhaps you will reject Him as you have rejected His servant? Resist Him if you can.' The duke immediately felt his legs fold underneath him and prostrated himself at the feet of Bernard, who then ordered him to stand on his feet to hear the penitential sentence of God.
The duke trembled as he stood and he followed all that Bernard ordered him to do."
Saint John Bosco was always very devoted to the Eucharist. Numerous are the writings in which the saint speaks of the importance of this sacrament. Once, having only eight Sacred Hosts remaining in the corporal, he began to multiply the Hosts so that he could distribute Communion to the 360 youth who were present at Mass.
Biographies of Saint John recount that in 1848, during a Mass celebrated in honor of the Feast of the Annunciation, Don Bosco realized at the moment he was to distribute Holy Communion to 360 young people that the corporal in the Tabernacle had only eight Sacred Hosts.
Everyone noticed and wondered what Don Bosco would do. Giuseppe Buzzetti, who became one of the first Salesian priests, was serving Mass that day when he saw Don Bosco multiply the Hosts and give Holy Communion to the 360 people.
Don Bosco tells the story of what he saw in a dream: a terrible battle at sea caused by a multitude of boats, both large and small, fighting against a sole majestic ship, a symbol of the Church.
Hit many times but always victorious, the ship was guided by the Pope to anchor itself securely between two tall pillars in the sea. The first held up high a huge Host with the writing, "Salvation of the Faithful" and the other, which was lower, held a statue of Immaculate Mary, with the writing, "Help of Christians".