On May 8, 1902, La Montagne, the volcano at the peak of Mount Pelée suddenly erupted. A discharge of lava immediately reached the city of Saint-Pierre de la Martinique and completely destroyed it. That day, the eruption mysteriously spared the village of Morne-Rouge, located between Saint-Pierre and Mount Pelée. The prodigious event was accompanied by an apparition of Jesus and His Sacred Heart in the Host exposed for public Eucharistic adoration. There were many witnesses to that extraordinary phenomenon.
On May 8, 1902, Ascension Day, the Mount Pelée volcano started erupting lava and ashes. The inhabitants of Morne-Rouge, strongly devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, immediately hurried to their parish church to ask Our Lady of Deliverance to spare their village from catastrophe. At that moment of sudden danger, people rushed to the confessionals. The parish priest, Fr. Mary, gave a general absolution to all the faithful, distributed Holy Communion, and then exposed the Blessed Sacrament for public adoration. At a certain point, a woman cried out, “The Sacred Heart of Jesus is in the Host!” A large number of people witnessed the apparition of Jesus in the Host, showing His Sacred Heart crowned with thorns. Some declared they also saw the Precious Blood of Jesus dripping from His Sacred Heart. The vision lasted several hours and stopped only after the reposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. On May 8th, the village of Morne-Rouge was spared from the volcano’s devastating fury. Therefore, the local population had a chance to reconcile themselves with God, receive the sacraments, and so be prepared to die in the state of grace. On August 30th of the same year, a violent eruption of the same volcano destroyed also the village of Morne-Rouge.
or Carol J. Seydel The Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association Phone: 815-609-7331 - [email protected] - http://www.therealpresence.org **************