Deepertruth: Our Eucharistic Lord Calms the Raging River, and calming the Sea

The scene is Canosio Italy, a small village centered in the Diocese of Saluzzo in the Val Maira region. In 1630 the Calvinist heresy was trying to gain a foot hold among the people there. Because of the division, the people’s faith was challenged and their moral was low. Religious ignorance and persecution can do that to any nation.

The celebration of Canosio Italy had just been completed the day before when a terrible flood came to Maira  as the result of a torrential rainfall. The river flowing through the town over flowed it’s banks causing serious flooding.

The flood waters washed away large stones from the base of the mountains causing massive mudslides and damage that threatened Canosio. This was the scene that Father Antonio Reinardi found his Parish in.

Father Reinardi made a solemn vow to the Lord that if the Canosio were saved from the destruction of the flood, he would begin leading the people celebrating a perpetual annual feast of Corpus Christi.

Father Reinardi leading the procession with the Blessed Sacrament praying the “Miserere” (“Miserere mei, Deus, Latin for “Have mercy on me, O God”) which was composed by then Pope Urban VIII! It is taken from Psalms 51!

As the procession came closer to the raging flood waters they prayed as they moved on when Father blessed the area with the Monstrance. At that moment, all at once the rain just stopped and the flood waters receded back to their normal level. This scene so revived the local people of Canosio that even to this day since 1630, they have kept their vow celebrating and observing what the Lord did this day.