PROVIDENCE — In many churches around the world, visitors are often shocked to find the corpse of a Catholic saint contained in a glass coffin. Often hundreds of years old, the bodies of these saints show no signs of decay and are mysteriously incorruptible.
Father Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco, O.P., Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at Providence College, explained that incorruptibility is the condition that allows some human bodies to avoid the normal process of decomposition and decay that follows death. Some bodies of the saints exude what is called the odor of sanctity— a perfume- like smell or sweet flowery-aroma. In some cases, the blood of saints, such as St. Januarius, the patron saint of Naples, will liquify.
“In contrast to bodies that undergo natural or accidental preservation, the bodies of many if not most of the incorruptibles are neither dry nor rigid but are often moist and flexible, sometimes remaining so centuries after the death of the individual,” said Father Austriaco. “For Catholics, the incorruptibility of a saint’s body is a sign of divine intervention and favor that reveals the sanctity of the deceased.”
Father Austriaco said that he is unaware of any scientific studies have ever been done on the incorruptible bodies of the holy ones, but added that scientific skeptics might attribute the incorruptibility to environmental conditions that preserved a saint’s body.
“The incorruptible bodies of the saints would be compared to the bodies of pre-historic individuals whose bodies were preserved in peat bogs or in ice packs,” said Father Austriaco. “However, in many cases of the incorruptible saints, there is evidence that the incorruptibility occurred in spite of environmental conditions that should have led to the decay of the body.”
Paul Camarata, of Overland Park, Kan., is a physician and a Catholic podcaster of Saintscast, a Catholic podcast that discusses the saints and their special charisms.
On his podcast on the incorruptible saints, podcast 10, Camarata read a description from a Nov. 3, 1614 transcript of St Francis Xavier after his body was found to be incorrupt.
“The saints hair is black and slightly curling,” Camarata read on his podcast. “The eyes are black- lively and sweet with so penetrating a glance that he would seem to be alive and breathing. The lips are of a bright reddish color and the beard is thick. In the cheeks there is a very delicate vermillion tint. In a word, the body has all the appearance of being that of a living man.”
One of the most well-known of the incorruptible saints is St. Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes. St. Bernadette died in 1879 in Nevers, France and her body was exhumed in 1909 and found to be completely incorrupt and free of odor 30 years later. In 1919, her body was still found completely incorrupt. The saint can be seen in the Chapel of St. Bernadette in Nevers, France.
Camarata shared that the complete decomposition of the human body may require several years depending on the strength of the embalming fluid and how those bodies are preserved.
“But even with these specialized chemicals, people who work at cemeteries, and bury the dead will note that the majority of tombs are ready for reuse only after a year’s occupancy,” Camarata said in his podcast. “Mummified remains that have been found without exception, have been rigid, extremely dry; when you compare these to most of the incorruptibles there’s an incredible difference. We are talking about soft muscles, joints that are moveable, fingers and hands that are moveable and feel as though the person might even be alive.”
Camarata added that as a scientist and a physician the phenomenon of incorruptibility is truly "mind-boggling."
"Physicians have often been present at the exhumation of the bodies of the incorruptibles," said Camarata. "They have testified to the suppleness of the skin, the plasticity of the joints, the 'odor of sanctity' that accompanies the bodies, and even freely flowing blood years after the death of the saint. These are phenomena that are impossible to explain."
Father John Trigilio, Jr., Ph.D., and Father Ken Brighenti, co-authors of “Catholicism for Dummies” and “Saints for Dummies,” help to explain often unknown aspects of the Catholic faith. Their latest book, “Saints for Dummies,” includes a chapter on the incorruptibles.
“I saw Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina and Saint Bernadette of Lourdes and Saint Catherine of Siena, all verified incorruptibles,” Father Trigilio explained. “Seeing Padre Pio's face as pristine as the day he died brought tears to my eyes."
Father Trigilio said that incorruptibility of a saint is not a requirement for canonization.
“The rare occurrence of having an incorrupt body even hundreds of years after death is not and has never been a requirement for canonization, but it can be included as corroborative evidence in the investigation of the alleged saint,” said Father Trigilio. “Many saints were never corrupt but are as much a saint as one who is.”
Father Trigilio added that this kind of phenomenon are signs of divine intervention to strengthen the faith of believers.
“They are little consolations to help those weak in faith become strong,” he said. “These signs are not ends in themselves. The incorruptible saints have but one purpose, to point toward the Lord who is the source of all good things.”
