Mystical body

Stigmata in Saints' Lives

Stigmata are bodily marks that sources link to the wounds of Christ's Passion: hands, feet, side, or crown of thorns. They may be described as visible, intermittent, internal, or painful without permanent lesion. The motif is linked to a spirituality of participation in the Passion and often appears during prayer or a vision. This page does not gather all saints' wounds: a martyrdom wound or a skin disease is not a stigmata if the source does not explicitly make the link with the crucified Christ. It must also distinguish stigmata from the ecstasy that may accompany them. The corpus is restricted and sometimes contains several files for the same figure; duplicates must be grouped in the presentation. Illustrations will suggest the marks through posture and discreet bandages, never through graphic wounds.

Accounts
11
Saints
10
Period
12th century – 17th century
A religious person prays with bandaged hands before a crucifix.
A religious person prays with bandaged hands before a crucifix.

Definition

Understanding this type of miracle

Stigmata are bodily marks that sources link to the wounds of Christ's Passion: hands, feet, side, or crown of thorns.

Forms included from the sources

  • mark explicitly linked to the Passion

Not to be confused with…

  • torture wound and skin disease

Documented examples

Major figures

Explore all accounts
  1. Saint Veronica Giuliani 17th century · 2 accounts
    « Veronica receives the crown of thorns then the stigmata in 1697 »
  2. Saint Francis of Assisi (Confessor) 12th century · 1 account
    « the stigmata »
  3. Saint Gertrude of Eisleben 14th century · 1 account
    « Spiritual stigmata (wounds of the Passion engraved in his soul) »
  4. Saint Ozanna 16th century · 1 account
    « Invisible then hidden stigmatization »

Classified sources

Accounts in the corpus

11 results

Stigmata
Stigmatization of Saint Francis
Stigmata
« Miraculous stigmata »
Saint Francis of Assisi (Confessor)·Mont Alverne·12th centuryTraditionCertainty: Tradition
Vision / apparition
Apparition to Pope Gregory IX
Stigmata
« Apparition to Pope Gregory IX to prove the wound in his side »
Saint Francis of Assisi (Stigmata)·13th centuryTraditionCertainty: Tradition
Stigmata
Mystical wound to the heart
Stigmata
« Invisible stigmata or mystical pain (heart pierced by an arrow) during prayer »
Blessed Matthew Carrieri of Mantua·Vigevano·14th centuryToposCertainty: Hagiographic topos
Stigmata
Spiritual stigmata of Saint Gertrude
Stigmata
« Spiritual stigmata (wounds of the Passion engraved in her soul) »
Saint Gertrude of Eisleben·Eisleben·14th centuryToposCertainty: Hagiographic topos
Stigmata
Stigmata and mystical manifestations of Saint Flora
BleedingStigmata
« Interior stigmata and blood flowing from the mouth »
Saint Flora (Fleur)·Hopital Beaulieu Beluer·14th centuryToposCertainty: Hagiographic topos
Stigmata
Apparition of the stigmata
Stigmata
« Visible stigmata on the body »
Blessed Stephana de Quinzani·Monastere De Saint Paul Pres De Soncino·16th centuryToposCertainty: Hagiographic topos
Stigmata
Apparition of the stigmata
Stigmata
« Visible stigmata »
Saint Catherine de' Ricci·Monastere De Saint Vincent Prato·16th centuryTraditionCertainty: Tradition
Stigmata
Invisible mystical stigmata
Stigmata
« Invisible then hidden stigmatization »
Saint Ozanna·Diocese De Mantoue·16th centuryTraditionCertainty: Tradition
Stigmata
Imprint of the instruments of the Passion in the heart
Stigmata
« Physical impression of the instruments of the Passion in her heart observed during the autopsy »
Saint Veronica Giuliani·Monastere Des Clarisses De Citta Di Castello·17th centuryTraditionCertainty: Tradition
Stigmata
Invisible stigmata and mystical sufferings
Stigmata
« Invisible stigmata and pains of the Passion »
Venerable Marguerite of the Blessed Sacrament·Carmel De Beaune Ancien Prieure De Saint Etienne·17th centuryToposCertainty: Hagiographic topos
Stigmata
Stigmatization of Saint Veronica Giuliani
Stigmata
« Stigmatization (wounds on hands, feet, and side) »
Saint Veronica Giuliani·Monastere Des Clarisses De Citta Di Castello·17th centuryTraditionCertainty: Tradition

Editorial transparency

Method and sources

Sancteo presents these accounts as hagiographic and historical traditions, without ruling on their origin or making medical or spiritual promises.

Volumes are calculated from technically validated classifications in the canonical database. Each figure above has a quotation directly linked to this theme. Last recalculated: .

Editorial responsibility: Sancteo · Corpus source: Les Petits Bollandistes and documented enrichments. Version: miracle-topic-editorial-en-v1.