I have often posted on the witness of Communion on the tongue in the Church Fathers. While reading the Dialogues of Saint Gregory the Great, I discovered another from the time of Pope Agapitus (pp. 535-536). Pope St Gregory recounts the following story about a Christian man who was “an invalid who could neither speak nor stand up.” They brought this man to Pope Agapitus:

Agapitus turned immediately to prayer and so began the celebration of Mass, offering the Holy Sacrifice to Almighty God. As he left the altar after the Mass, he took the lame man by the hand and, in the presence of a large crowed of onlookers raised him from the ground till he stood erect. When he placed the Lord’s body in his mouth, the tongue which had so long been speechless was loosed. All those present were struck with wonder and wept for joy Fear and reverence filled their minds, for they saw what marvelous deed Agapitus had been able to accomplish by the power of God through the intercession of Saint Peter.

– Saint Gregory the Great, Dialogue III, 3.

According to my calculations, this miracle happened in AD 536 while Pope Agapitus was in Constantinople visiting Emperor Justinian.

Incidentally, Pope Agapitus also at this times declared that the Holy Orders of Arians were invalid. This Roman Pontiff is a canonized saint recognized by the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

-TRM