The Stigmatic Saints You Need To Know

Stigmata is a term used to describe the manifestations of bodily wounds, scars and pain in locations corresponding to the Crucifixion, wound of Jesus Christ, such as the hands, wrists, and feet. A person bearing the wounds of stigmata is referred to as a Stigmatist or a Stigmatic. Most stigmata give out recurring bleeding that stops and then starts, at times after receiving Holy Communion and a significant portion of stigmatics have shown a strong desire to frequently receive Holy Communion.

Classically, Stigmata occur at as many as five locations of the Holy Wounds, which are the hands or wrists, feet, and side (often fatal), and other wounds endured during the Passion, includes wounds caused by a Crown of thorns, though generally invisible, whip lashings or scourging on the back, a wound at his rib, caused by a spear, or lance Nail holes in the wrists, or hands. Nail holes in the ankles, or feet. Formations of the flesh which is in form of nails.

Some stigmatics most times feel the pain of wounds with no external marks; this type is referred as “invisible stigmata” Some stigmatics’ wounds don’t seem to clot and seem to stay fresh and uninfected. The blood from the injuries is said, in some cases, to have a pleasant, perfumed odor, known as the Odour of Sanctity. Others were formed through the tears of blood or sweating blood, and wounds to back as from Scourging.

Feast Day: October 4.
He turns out to be the first recorded stigmatic in Christian history. He is the founder of the Franciscans and one of the great saints of the Catholic Church. St. Francis, as is common among stigmatics, was significantly inquisitive about realizing the suffering of Christ. When he was young, he was fun loving and not particularly pious, but two brushes with death showed him the frivolity of his ways and he became extremely pious. He wanted to know the suffering of Christ. His stigmata weren’t hurt, open wounds, but scars; his flesh took on the appearance of nails.

St. Padre Pio
Feast: September 23
One of the best-known stigmatics, St.Pio of Pietrelcina bore the stigmata for over fifty years. Being that Padre Pio lived during the 20th century, and his stigmata were studied by several 20th-century physicians, his stigmata were also studied under the scrutiny of contemporary medicine. Whereas, no one has been ready to realize a natural cause for his wounds. The observations were reportedly self-contradictory and therefore the wounds never became infected. His wounds healed once but reappeared later on.St. Catherine of Siena
Feast: April 29
St. Catherine of Siena got the stigmata in 1375.
After she received Holy Communion at the Church of St.Christina, red rays shot out from the crucifix and punctured her. St.Catherine’s wounds were invisible to individuals aside from herself until she died.

St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938)
Feast: October 5
The Polish nun St. Faustina Kowalska is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, who was known for receiving the image of Divine Mercy and giving the church the prayer from Jesus Christ referred to as Chaplet of Divine Mercy. As a sign of her union with God, she also received the invisible stigmata in April 1936. Although invisible, the wounds remained with Faustina the rest of her relatively short life which is one among many graces from God.

St. Rita of Cascia (1381-1457)
Feast: May 22
St. Rita of Cascia received the stigmata 5 years before the end of her extraordinary life. After which she was widowed and lost her two sons, she entered the monastery of St.Mary Magdalene at Cascia, where she received the stigmata in the form of the wounds in her forehead from the Crown of Thorns after hearing a sermon in 1441 on the crown of thorns. Many witnessed a mysterious flash of light that came forth from this wound. Rita bore the stigma throughout her life.

St. Catherine of Siena
She was Dominican nun and Doctor of the Church. She received the wounds of the stigmata during a visit to Pisa in 1375. The wound is visible but it became hidden after Catherine prayed to Jesus that he should remove them so she would not be a subject of sensationalism for others. God granted her request.

St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Doctor of the Church and author of various mystical classics such as Autobiography (1565), The Way of Perfection (1573), and the Interior Castle (1577), received a stigma of the heart known as transverberation. Her wound was examined in 1872 by three physicians from the University of Salamanca and was verified as a puncture of the heart.

St. Gemma Galgani (1878-1903)
She received the sacred stigmata on the 8th of June, 1899. At this point, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her along with her Son, Jesus. Gemma saw flames of fire issuing forth from our Lord’s wounds, which suddenly appeared on her own body in the exact locations as the wounds of Christ. Not too eager to become a showpiece for others, Gemma asked our Lord to remove the visible wounds. Her request was granted. But, she didn’t really lose her wounds at all; rather, they became invisible and lasted for succeeding 3 years till her death.

Saint Christina of Stommeln
She received wounds on her hands, feet, forehead, and side. According to legend, her wounds bled every Easter.