Pope Leo XIV described as “wonderful gift” the delivery of a Palia in honor of the divine child of the Eucharistic miracle of Eten, one of his most endearing devotions since he was a bishop of Chiclayo, in Peru.
The gesture took place on Friday, June 27, during the jubilee of the seminarians and the priests.
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La Palia – a small embroidered liturgical piece that is placed on the chalice during the Mass – was delivered by the Peruvian priest Samuel David Miranda, who was ordered by Pope Leo XIV on June 8, 2018, when he was still a bishop of the diocese of Chiclayo.
“On this visit I said: ‘Holy Father, a few days ago I turned seven years ago’, and he replied with a smile: ‘Oh, I’m old!’, As if meaning that he has spent a long time,” said Fr. Miranda excitedly in dialogue with ACI Press.
La Palia delivered is an original 15 x 15 -centimeter aluminum eager, created by the Chiclayan artist Diego Alejandro Sime Arancibia, also devotee from the Divine Niño del Milagro. The image represents the Child Jesus with a crown and the host in the hand, and is decorated with fabric and blond, key symbols of this Eucharistic miracle that occurred in 1649 in Eten Ciudad (Lambayeque).
The Holy Father, who knew and promoted this devotion during his episcopate in Chiclayo, received the gift visibly moved. “The photos say it all: in his gestures it shows how much he loves Chiclayo and how much he appreciates this beautiful devotion to the divine boy of the miracle,” said the priest.
Beyond the gifts, Father Miranda shared that the moment was deeply spiritual: “He spoke to us from the heart. He told us that we are not alone, that he has our prayers and that, in uncertain and difficult times, we will persevere and be faithful.”
Next to La Palia, the priest delivered other offerings, such as sweets, chance – one of the Lord of the Miracles and another with the papal shield – and repeatedly expressed the affection of Peru towards the Pontiff. “We repeat many times that we love him, that we love him, that we pray for him, that Peru wants it, loves him, respects and expects him,” he shared.
One of the most significant moments
A really special moment occurred after the delivery of the gift. “I asked for a hug. In a moment he said: ‘After the photo, you have to take care of the protocols.’ But then, when the opportunity was given, he told me: ‘Now you can give me a hug.’ I felt like a child in the arms of a father, with a lot of security,” he said.
The hug, he said, brought another very special moment to memory: “Seven years ago, when he ordered me a priest, he hugged me. Today I receive that same hug, but with something even more special: it is the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, who tells me that I am not alone, that he accompanies me with his prayer and that he keeps in my heart this happy moment for me, for my family and for the parish of San José.
Finally, the priest also greeted P. Edgar Rimaycuna, current Pope Personal Secretary and also Chiclayano. “We grew up in the same chapel, San Oscar Romero. It was an immense joy to see him.
The encounter closed with a special blessing and a message from the Pope who, according to Fr. Miranda, summarizes the spirit of the jubilee: “They are not alone. They are not alone. They pray, offer their tiredness for the souls, by the poor and for the church.”
Diego López Marina
I was born in 1991. I have a degree in Communication Sciences. Since 2015 I work as a digital journalist. I started my career in the newspaper El Comercio in Peru. In 2016, I began as editor in ACI Press and I perform as a web editor since 2018. From 2024, I write the Newsletter for Social Media. I specialize in Catholic news focused on the defense of life and family, international politics, technology, popular culture and the Vatican.