Mystical Phenomena — Magdalena Gornik

Historically attested mystical phenomena

Magdalena’s close connection with God and her invitation to people to conversion were accompanied by usual as also exceptional mystical phenomena. These are phenomena that science cannot explain by way of natural laws and, in Christian mystics, are reflections of a special connection with God. They are exceptional gifts that God bestows on specific persons who are given a special mission.

Ecstasy and visions, stigmata

From her thirteenth year to her death, Magdalena experienced ecstasy and visions. She had visions of heaven, purgatory, and hell. The theme of the visions were based on the Church calendar. Most of them were visions of Christ’s suffering, at which time, she suffered with Him and relived His pains. Frequently, during the reliving of Christ's suffering, the stigmata or marks of Christ’s wounds, which she carried on her hands, feet, and side, opened. In addition, the wounds of the crown of thorns often appeared on her head.
From 24 August 1848 until her death, 23 February 1896, Magdalena went into ecstasy every evening. She went into ecstasy also at every Holy Mass. While she was in ecstasy, her body was insensitive to external stimuli.

Living from the Holy Communion, without earthly food

Magdalena lived 47 years without earthly food. She could not tolerate even the odor of ordinary food. Despite this, she performed her daily duties with ease. Her food was Holy Communion and a special food in the shape of a bean, which in ecstasy she sometimes received. At times, she received Holy Communion at Mass from the priest; however, she also frequently received it in a mystical way from Jesus Himself. Many people saw at that time how the Holy Host (sometimes in the form of a bloody piece of flesh) was suddenly found in her mouth, and soon after that they saw still more a special chalice with the Savior’s blood. After Communion, Magdalena always gave thanks, and then frequently she called those present to repentance and penance for sins they had committed. In ecstasy, she sometimes also received a special, unusual food in the size of a bean. An angel or the Virgin Mary gave her the food, which she received directly on her tongue; sometimes she received it in her hand and then broke it into bits, taking it to her mouth.

Levitation

While in ecstasy, Magdalena sometimes yearned so much to receive Jesus in Holy Communion that her body would lift off the floor without any natural help or physical power.

Objects she received in ecstasy

In ecstasy, she would at times receive a visible cross that remained on her chest until the end of the ecstasy. It helped her in the fight against temptation. The cross hung on her chest without any kind of string, and it did not fall to the floor. Several priests held the cross in their hands and described its exact dimensions and color.

The gift of understanding foreign languages that she never studied

In the condition of ecstasy, Magdalena understood and spoke languages she never studied nor heard spoken. She understood at least eleven languages, among which are Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Chaldean, this being testified by the Jesuit Kos, who had a command of those languages and conversed in them with Magdalena.

The gift of reading the state of souls (cardiognosis)

Magdalena, while in ecstasy, had insight into the state of a soul and knew if someone was living in the state of mortal sin. She made the person aware of this and invited the person to return to God. Sometimes Magdalena clearly told a person who came to ask for advise that he must seek the answer in his own conscience.