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Stigmata are bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus. The term originates from the line at the end of Saint Paul's Letter to the Galatians where he says, "I bear on my body the marks of Jesus," stigmata is the plural of the Greek word stigma meaning a mark or brand such as might have been used for identification of an animal or slave. An individual bearing stigmata is referred to as a stigmatic.
The causes of stigmata may vary from case to case. Stigmata are primarily associated with the Roman Catholic faith. Many reported stigmatics are members of Catholic religious orders. The majority of reported stigmatics are female.[1] Reported cases of stigmata take various forms.
Many show some or all of the five Holy Wounds that were, according to the Bible, inflicted on Jesus during his crucifixion wounds in the hands and feet, from nails, and in the side, from a lance. Some stigmatics display wounds to the forehead similar to those caused by the crown of thorns. Other reported forms include tears of blood or sweating blood, wounds to the back as from scourging, or wounds to the shoulder as from bearing the cross.
In addition, lashes on the back can be witnessed. Some stigmatics claim to feel the pain of wounds with no external marks; these are referred to as invisible stigmata. In other claims, stigmata are accompanied by extreme pain. Some stigmatics' wounds do not appear to clot, and stay fresh and uninfected.
The blood from the wounds is said, in some cases, to have a pleasant, perfumed odor, known as the Odour of Sanctity. Refer to the case of Mother Theresa Neumann. Stigmata Phenomenon
In the 1999 movie Stigmata, a Catholic priest investigates the case of a woman who has the same wounds that Jesus had when he died on the cross. These wounds were caused by the nails driven into his hands and ankles, by the crown of thorns, and by the spear plunged into his side. In the movie, the woman with the wounds seems to be in mental contact with someone who lived in ancient times. The investigation leads to the discovery of a possible lost gospel.
Wounds similar to those suffered by Jesus are called stigmata, and any person who exhibits them is called a stigmatic. Sometimes the phenomenon appears in the form of blotches or sores rather than wounds. They often appear suddenly, then disappear a short time later, but in some cases they have remained present for many years.
Stigmata are often associated with piety. Some people believe that their appearance is a sign of mystical participation in the sufferings of Christ. But many observers think that they are usually created artificially as a way to get attention.
Christianity wasn't the first religion to give a possible supernatural meaning to wounds. In many early primitive societies, wounds were deliberately inflicted as part of a spiritual ritual. The practice was also common in the pagan religions of Roman times, although in many cases tattoos were were substituted for wounds.
The phenomenon of Christian stigmata first came to prominence in the Middle Ages. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries some churchmen began to deliberately wound themselves in an attempt to reach an ecstatic state of identification with Christ called participation. The pain of the wounds helped them to go through a similar ordeal to what Jesus had gone through.
An early case of true stigmata, in which the wounds supposedly appeared in a spontanteous way, was that of St. Francis. But his stigmatization is not as well-documented as many of the other events of his life. In fact many contemporaries, including the Bishop of Olmutz, had doubts about the authenticity of his stigmata.
Since the time of St. Francis, several hundred other cases of true stigmata have been reported. Most of these cases occurred in Catholic countries, especially Italy. Perhaps the best-known modern case is that of Padre Pio (1887-1968), who was canonized in 2002. Stigmatization has also been reported in Islamic societies, but in these cases, the wounds correspond to those suffered by Mohammed in his fight to spread Islam.
The Catholic Church doesn't require its members to believe that stigmata can appear spontaneously, or that they are a sign of holiness. And although descriptions of saints sometimes mention stigmata, the Church doesn't maintain any official list of stigmatics. Article Source: Free Articles