Stigma (miracle)

Estigmatization of San Franciscoby Giotto

In the Christian faith, stigmata (from the Latin stigma, and this in turn from the Greek στίγμα) are signs or marks that they appear spontaneously in the body of some people, almost always ecstatic mystics, which would prove that it is the religion of a true God, who creates and influences the universe and helps humanity. This concept could arise because in ancient times the servers were marked as a sign of ownership.

These wounds are similar to those inflicted on Jesus of Nazareth during his crucifixion according to traditional Christian iconography, and are preceded and accompanied by physical and moral torment. They usually appear on the hands, feet and right side, and sometimes also on the the head and on the shoulders, which recalls the crowning with thorns and the scourging of Jesus of Nazareth.

The various Christian denominations differentiate stigmatization of supernatural origin, either by a divine gift or by diabolical intervention, from those of a natural order, caused by the same subject who bears them, either intentionally or for reasons of psychosomatic origin (by suggestion, hypnosis, etc. it has been possible to produce phenomena similar to stigmatization, although they differ in the instantaneity of the phenomenon and in the desire for its verification in view of others).

Types

The Catholic Church, when it considers them authentic and a divine gift, affirms that they are a participation in the sufferings of Jesus. It recognizes more than three hundred cases of stigmatization; these may be visible or not, bloody or not, permanent or not. Invisible stigmata, according to the Catholic Church, can cause as much pain as visible ones.

The type of wounds reflects their correspondence with the Passion of Jesus through the following signs:

• Hands or wrists, similar to those caused by nails.
• Herds on the feet, similar to those caused by nails.
• Herds in the head, similar to those caused by the crown of thorns.
• Herds on the back, similar to those of whip in flogging.
• Dry on one side — similar to that caused by a spear — usually on the left side.

Cases of stigmatization

Padre Pio de Pietrelcina with the stigmas of his exposed hands. Although he usually wore his hands covered, his superiors sometimes asked that he discover his hands so that the wounds could be photographed.

Throughout history, many cases of people who -for no apparent reason- suffered stigmata, that is, estimated wounds similar to those suffered by Jesus of Nazareth during his passion, have been documented. Although Saint Francis of Assisi (c. 1181-1226) is usually considered the first to be stigmatized, in reality the first case in history would be that of Blessed Maria de Oignies (c. 1177-1213), a Beguine, a case that practically passed unnoticed. Other stigmatized ones also stand out, such as Saint Catherine of Siena, the venerable German Teresa Neumann, the lay Passionist Saint Gema Galgani and the Capuchin saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. In addition, in 2019 Pope Francis canonized the Swiss seamstress Saint Margarita Bays, who also suffered stigmata. She is joined by Saint Mariam Thresia Chiramel, canonized that same day.

The list of Catholics who have received stigmata and have been recognized as saints or have begun their canonization process are as follows:

• Saint Francis of Assisi, called by some as the second Jesus Christ, for being the first man to receive the stigmas.
• Saint Catherine of Siena.
• St. Pius of Pietrelcina.
• Santa Rita de Casia.
• Santa Gema Galgani.
• Santa Margarita Bays
• Santa Mariam Thresia Chiramel.
• Santa Verónica Giuliani, denounced by his own abbotesa before the Inquisition.
• Santa Mariam Baouardy carmelita descalza who had numerous mystical experiences. He died in Bethlehem.
• Santa Catalina de Ricci dominica terciaria.
• Blessed Ana Catherine Emmerick, agustina who had visions of Jesus' passion.
• Blessed Mary of the Incarnation known as the mother of Carmel in France.
• Blessed Lucia of Narni of the CenturyXVI.
• Venerable Marthe Robin.
• Venerable Teresa Neumann
• Servant of God Mary Hope of Bianchini.
• Servant of God Teresa Helena Higginson English teacher of the Victorian Age.
• Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta.
• Servant of God Natuzza Evolo.

There are facts referring to the so-called "true stigmatizations" for which no scientific explanation has been found so far:

1. While common wounds heal in people with no blood clotting problems, the medical sciences do not manage the healing of stigmas by any treatment.
2. Unlike the natural wounds of a certain duration, those of the stigmatized do not emit scents. There was only one known exception: that of St. Rita de Casia (1381-1457), who would have received a wound on his forehead caused by a spine torn from the crown of Jesus crucified. Although its smell was repulsive, the wound never purged or caused any morbid alteration of the tissues. On the other hand, when he died, the body of St. Rita issued an intense sweet fragrance.
3. Sometimes the wounds emit exquisite aromas, as in the cases of Juana de la Cruz, Franciscan prior to the convent of Toledo, and Blessed Lucia Brocadelli of Narni (1476–1544) an Italian Catholic mysticism, beatified in 1710.
4. According to Antonio Royo Marin, the rationalist theory that the stigmatized wished to receive the sores to look like Jesus Christ crucified does not resist the analysis of the historical criticism, the surprise that all experienced, and the historical records that all the stigmatized recognized by the Catholic Church begged, not to remove the pain, but the visible signs of the stigmas.

The stigmatization of Saint Francis of Assisi

The case of the stigmatization of Saint Francis of Assisi stands out for the number of witnesses, a few in life but in greater numbers after his death, who corroborated the truth of the fact. In life, brother León (the one to who Francisco dedicated his autograph text known as Blessing to Fray León), was one of those who accompanied Francisco to Mount Alvernia in August 1224 where, according to the writings of Buenaventura de Fidanza and other documents of the At that time, the "poor man of Assisi" received the so-called "stigmata of Christ" to later write on a piece of parchment the so-called Laudes Dei altissimi ("Praises to the Most High God"). Fray León was the only witness to the moments prior to the stigmatization of Saint Francis. At the end of Francisco's life, when his little body was already a human waste, the saint entrusted the care of his person to four of the most his, who deserved a singular love. One of them was Brother León, allowing him to touch his sores when he changed the bandages stained with his blood, which was for Fray León a joyous and at the same time painful rite. Francisco, jealous that no one would notice his stigmata -a privilege of which he considered himself unworthy-, came to have this exceptional delicacy with brother León: once, he lovingly placed his sore hand on his heart from brother Leon.

After Francisco's death, numerous witnesses saw his wounds. This is how Saint Bonaventure recounted the verification of Francisco's sores after his death:

By emigrating from this world, Blessed Francis left the signs of Christ's passion printed in his body. Some nails of their own flesh were seen in those blessed members, made wonderfully by the divine power and so connatural to it, that, if they were pressed on the one hand, at the time they stood out on the other, as if they were hard nerves and a single piece. The wound of the side, similar to that of the wounded side of the Saviour, also appeared very visible in his body. The appearance of the nails was black, like iron; but the wound of the side was reddish and formed, by the contraction of the flesh, a kind of circle, presenting itself in sight as a beautiful rose. The rest of his body, which before, both by illness and by its natural way of being, was brown, was now shining with an extraordinary whiteness. The members of his body were so soft and flexible, they seemed to have become tender as those of childhood.

As soon as news was made of the passage of the blessed Father and the fame of the miracle of stigmatization was revealed, the mass people came immediately to the place to see with their own eyes that portento, who dissipates all doubts of their minds and fills with joy their hearts affected by pain. Many citizens of Assisi were admitted to contemplate and kiss the sacred sores.

One of them called Jerome, a cult and prudent knight in addition to famous and famous, as he doubted these sacred sores, being unbelievable like Thomas, moved with much fervour and boldness the nails and with his own hands touched the hands, feet and side of the saint in the presence of the brothers and other citizens; and it turned out that, as he was pounding those true signs of the doubts, Christ was more wounding. Therefore since then he became, among others, a qualified witness of this truth known with such certainty, and confirmed it under oath by putting his hands on the sacred books.

San Buenaventura, Leyenda Mayor de San Francisco 15,4

Cases of "false" stigma

There have also been cases of false stigmatization, such as that of Magdalena de la Cruz (1487 - 1560), abbess of the convent of Santa Isabel de Córdoba, who admitted her own fraud. Magdalena, a native of Aguilar and a woman of religion with a renowned holiness, became famous throughout Spain after having, apparently, predicted the victory of the Battle of Pavía (1525) and the imprisonment of Francisco I of France. Isabel of Portugal, wife of Carlos I of Spain, apparently dressed her eldest son, a newborn Philip II of Spain, in the habit of the abbess.

In any case, Magdalena de la Cruz appeared, alone, in a solemn auto-da-fé held on May 3, 1546, and confessed to having simulated countless raptures and miracles. The inquisitors of Córdoba, however, commuted her death sentence at the stake and chose to imprison Magdalena for life in a convent in Andújar.