Aspects of Stigmata.

Aspects of Stigmata.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Christian faith that gets my attention from time to time is what appears to be the manifestation from the spiritual to the mortal in the case of genuine stigmatics.

As many of you are no doubt aware, the stigmata is generally described as the spontaneous appearance of the wound marks of a crucified Christ on a person's body. These marks include the nail wounds at the feet and the hands, the lance wound at the side, the head wounds from the crown of thorns, and the scourge marks over the entire body, particularly the back. A stigmatic may have one, several, or all of these wound marks. Moreover, they may be visible or invisible, and they may be permanent, periodic, or temporary in appearance.

It is important that the genuine stigmatic be separated from one whom, for whatever reason, indulges in self-mutilation to produce these bodily wounds. Also there is a need to consider that the stigmata is not a sign from Satan to cause some spiritual frenzy and confusion. Accordingly, since the stigmata is regarded as a sign of union with a crucified Christ, the genuine stigmatic is invariably judged to have lived a life of virtue, to have endured physical and moral suffering, and they have almost always achieved a level of ecstatic union with the Lord in prayer.

So let us look at some of the most interesting facts of stigmata.

1. The genuine stigmata bleeds especially on days when the Lord's passion is remembered (such as Fridays and Good Friday), whereas those of a pathological nature would not. Many stigmata show recurring bleeding that stops and then starts, at times after receiving Holy Communion.

2. The genuine stigmata emits clean blood, whereas those of the pathological origin suppurate. The blood flow from a genuine stigmata can be great at times without harm to the person, whereas that of a pathological nature would seriously weaken a person and require a blood transfusion. Padre Pio received the wounds of the Lord in his hands and feet. Each day, he lost about one cup of blood, but the wounds never closed or festered. Also, a sweet odor is reported to have emanated from his wounds instead of the smell of blood.

3. The genuine stigmata cannot be healed through medication or other treatments, whereas one of pathological origin can.

4. The genuine stigmata appears suddenly, whereas that of a pathological origin appears gradually over time and can often be linked to underlying psychological and physical causes.

5. The genuine stigmatics have been surprised at the actual appearance of the stigmata. (NB Though St. Francis of Assisi begged to share in the sufferings of Christ.

6. They have often tried to conceal it so as not to cause attention to themselves.

7. Stigmata is primarily associated with the Roman Catholic faith. Many reported stigmatics are members of Catholic religious orders.

8. A high percentage (perhaps over 80%) of all stigmatics are women.

9. A relatively high percentage of stigmatics also exhibit inedia, living with minimal (or no) food or water for long periods of time, except for the Eucharist.

10. Individuals who have obtained the stigmata are many times described as ecstatics. At the time of receiving the stigmata they are overwhelmed with emotions.

11. Cases of stigmata are mainly known to have occurred after the thirteenth century, when the depiction of the crucified Jesus in Western Christendom emphasized His humanity.

12. Many cases of male stigmatics were non-ordained.

It has been argued that an individual’s compassion with Christ produces a faith so strong and so deeply incarnate that it leads to the individual embodiment of the contemplated pain. Also, some modern research has indicated stigmata is of an hysterical origin, or linked to dissociative identity disorders, especially the link between dietary constriction by self-starvation and a dissociative mental state, in the context of a religious belief.

Faith is by definition a very personal thing and can be accepted or embraced at different levels of intensity. Personally I would baulk at receiving stigmata, remote as it is with the life I have led. Yet I always take comfort and remember in one of Grahame Greene’s novels, a character that by force of circumstance was brought to the realization, that despite all his resisting, he was finally faced with the inevitability in the existence of God.

I was barely aware of the stigmata manifestations, but not with all the details you researched.I found specially intriguing the fact that they appeared mainly after the thirteent century because then Christians would be more prepared for this kind of manifestation.
Personally I must say that I find it very unconfortable.A person must attain a very high level of religious spirituality to accept this kind of suffering.
I am from a family where people related differently to religion: my father was an Atheist, my mother Lutheran, we children were baptised Catholics as teenagers.
Before that I landed in a Baptist Internat where I heard for the first time the stories of the
New Testament. And these stories horrified me because I got the violence and suffering part of it, but not the more abstract Redemption part. It took some time till I was able to read the Bible and take a different view of Religion.

Yes Danik

We all get dealt different cards in life, though my background was somewhat similar to yours: a father not religious at all, a devout Roman Catholic mother, my brother & I brought up initially as Protestants due to the school we went to. Then taken by the mother to be introduced into being a Catholic.

I found it too restrictive though and for a long period was what was termed "lapsed."

Then later in life I experienced something I cannot put into words; not once, but three distinct times; Ash Wednesday in a church in Tottenham Court Road, London / an empty church in Mexico City and a Jesuit church in Rome. I've been "hooked" ever since, though that might not be a suitably spiritual word.

Hence the interest in some of the less day to day aspects of religion. Thanks for responding.

Best regards
M.

Thanks, Manichean, I love your signed answers (like letters).
I don´t know how non Catholics relate to stigmata. I haven´t read much religious texts besides the Bible, but I think one difference between Catholics and Protestants is how they relate to concrete tokens and signs of faith. I think that for Catholics the concrete elements of faith like images, candles, ex-votos and other are very important sometimes vital, while Protestantism seems to be more abstracs.
Brazil is an overhelmingly Catholic country.People, specially in the country or in smaller cities still have their favorite saints and they talk to the images as if they were alive.
For example, there is Sankt Anton, the saint who is in charge of providing husbands for the young girls. If he tarries to much he is punished, his image is put upside down or facing the wall or if there is a well he is put upside down in the well.
A curiosity about the patron saint of the country, Our Lady of Aparecida. The cult is related to the image of a black Maria that was found by some fishermen:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Aparecida
https://www.google.com.br/search?q=n...LLZ1DYfQmsAEM:

Dear Danik

Saint Anton sounds an intriguing patron saint. How did he get that job?

The whole aspect of "physical" accessories of faith is in itself an interesting study; whether liturgical garments, rosaries, icons, candles, incense etc. I would presume it all grew along with the historical evolvement of art and the desire to indulge the senses of sight, touch and smell.

I lived for many years in the Philippines where there is, (especially on All Souls Day), an overlay of original religious practices incorporated into predominantly Catholic practices. On one such occasion, my then Philippine wife was laying out sweets and cigarettes before a saint's statue located on the porch. She then proceeded around the garden calling for the ancestors to join us. This was somewhat confusing, but having spent more and more time in the Far East, especially here in Vietnam, I'm now more comfortable with ancestor worship.

You mention also the Black Maria. This variant whether in painting or statute is extremely prolific all over Europe & other parts of the world. Any idea how it originated?

Best regards
M.

Dear MANICHEAN,

I agree with you on what you call the "physical" accessories of faith. To me they seem particularly important in Catholicism, at least in the Catholicism of Latin countries. In regard to the liturgical garments in the few times I went to church I noticed a curious minor effect
of having a Franciscan Pope: the garments that used to be richly embroidered (in the smaller cities there are women that dedicate themselves in making this garments and take their pride in it), are now as simple as possible.

It´s very interesting what you tell me about the Philippine religious habits, starting with the saint´s statue being located on the porch. Here in past, the greater houses used to have private oratories like these or bigger:https://www.google.com.br/search?q=o...jlmW567osEhGM:
On the whole, I think it very sound to worship one´s ancestors. Ancestor worshipers probably are more respectfull of older people and they have an ethical reference. I know near to nothing about the Philippines, but I watched one or two Philippine films. I remember
in one of them, the protagonist had to deal with people that had already died, I don´t remember if they were his ancestors or not. But their presence in the film was very pervasive, nothing like the usual ghost films.

As for St. Antony of Padua, I looked him up. To my surprise, the saint of mariages and lost things was born in Portugal, not in Italy, as I thought. He was mainly a good preacher and a scholar. He died very young and was canonised very quickly. Here you are:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_of_Padua

In Brazil he is also celebrated, together with St. John and St. Peter in the June festivities
when the people dance the Quadrilha, eat typical food, and hold kirmesses.In the great citys today these festivities are reduced to school presentations and church kirmesses.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festa_Junina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vxv0gDha2A