Joshua Bennett
The phenomenon of incorruptibility is typically associated with Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity, where it is believed that God preserves the bodies of saints from the normal decomposition process because of their holiness. However, there are reports of incorruptibility in individuals from other religions, such as the Biblical Baruch, a scribe of Jeremiah, and Cardinal Shuster, an Italian archbishop who was a friend of dictator Benito Mussolini. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, a distinction is made between natural mummification and supernatural incorruptibility, with many Eastern Orthodox saints reported to have incorrupt bodies, including Saint Alexander of Svir. While incorruptibility is not a prerequisite for sainthood, it is often seen as a sign of sanctity and can be appreciated by the Church as a supernatural occurrence.
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What You'll Learn
Incorruptibility in Judaism
Incorruptibility is a Catholic and Eastern Orthodox belief that divine intervention allows some human bodies, specifically saints and beati, to completely or partially avoid the normal decomposition process after death. However, this phenomenon is not exclusive to Catholic saints, and there have been reports of incorruptibility in other religions, including Judaism and Islam.
In his work "Legends of the Jews," Rabbi Louis Ginzberg mentions an alleged case of bodily incorruptibility of the Biblical Baruch, the scribe of Jeremiah, whose tomb is said to be in Iraq. Similar stories are told of later Hasidic saints, such as Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk.
In Judaism, there may be a connection between incorruptibility and the righteousness of the deceased. Some interpret the preservation of a body as a sign of the individual's piety and righteousness before God. However, it is important to note that this interpretation is not universally accepted, and other natural factors may contribute to the preservation of a body.
While the concept of incorruptibility is not unique to Catholicism, it is most commonly associated with Catholic saints. The Catholic Church recognizes the preservation of a body as a possible sign of sanctity, and the bodies of several saints have been found to be incorrupt, such as Saint Catherine Labouré and Saint Zita. The Eastern Orthodox Church also recognizes the distinction between natural mummification and supernatural incorruptibility.
In summary, while incorruptibility is not a widely discussed concept in Judaism, there are mentions of bodily incorruptibility in Jewish texts, specifically in the work of Rabbi Louis Ginzberg. The interpretation of this phenomenon varies, and the preservation of a body may be seen as a sign of righteousness or the result of natural factors.
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Incorruptibility in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Incorruptibility is a belief in both Catholic and Orthodox Christianity that divine intervention allows some human bodies, specifically saints and beati, to completely or partially avoid the decomposition process after death. This preservation of the body is seen as a sign of the individual's holiness.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, incorruptibility is considered a mark of sainthood. The belief is that God preserves the bodies of saints from the normal decomposition process because of their sanctity. However, it is not deemed a prerequisite for sainthood. There are reportedly many Eastern Orthodox saints whose bodies have been found to be incorrupt, including Saint Alexander of Svir. The relics of Saint Alexander were removed from the Svir Monastery by the Bolsheviks in 1918 and remained in Petrograd's Military Medical Academy for nearly eighty years.
Incorrupt bodies in the Orthodox tradition are associated with miracles and are believed to exude myrrh. They are also believed to have a sweet smell. While the bodies of the saints are considered incorrupt, it is not seen as a necessary condition to demonstrate that the individual is a saint.
The belief in incorruptibility in Eastern Orthodox Christianity is based on interpretations of certain Bible verses, such as Psalm 16:10, which states, "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Additionally, 2Ki 13:21 is quoted to support the idea that miracles associated with a person's dead body indicate their closeness to God and the approval of their service to God during their lifetime.
The phenomenon of incorruptibility in Eastern Orthodox saints has been used as evidence for the correctness of the Orthodox Faith, in contrast to Protestant faiths, which do not have documented cases of incorruptibility.
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Incorruptibility as a prerequisite for sainthood
Incorruptibility is a Catholic and Orthodox belief that divine intervention allows some human bodies (specifically saints and beati) to completely or partially avoid the normal decomposition process after death. It is seen as a sign of holiness or sanctity. The bodies of the incorruptibles are not mummified but are instead soft, pliable, and flexible. They also often give off a sweet, unearthly odour.
In Catholicism, if a body is judged as incorruptible after death, this is most often seen as a sign that the individual is a saint. However, the Church discontinued the practice of using incorruptibility as a prerequisite for sainthood in the 20th century. This was due to cases where incorruptible corpses did not extol Catholic piety, as well as instances of incorruptibility in non-Catholic individuals, including members of other religions and those who had not led saintly lives.
In addition, the Church does not consider an incorrupt body to be one of the miracles required for canonization. This is because the miracles required for sainthood must be attributed to the intercession of the person in question, which is difficult to prove in cases of miraculous preservation. Furthermore, there is no strict definition of what constitutes incorruptibility, and experts rarely check on dead bodies to see how the decomposition process is progressing. As such, it is possible that there is some unknown scientific phenomenon that allows a small percentage of all bodies to resist decomposition.
While incorruptibility is not a prerequisite for sainthood, there are many Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saints whose bodies have been found to be incorrupt. These include Saint Alexander of Svir, Saint Ioasaph of Belgorod, Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Silvan, Saint John Vianney, Saint Bernadette of Lourdes, Saint Rita of Cascia, Saint Virginia Centurione, Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Catherine of Genoa, Saint Julie Billiart, and Saint Zita.
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Incorruptibility and the body of St. Bernadette
Incorruptibility is a Catholic and Orthodox belief that divine intervention allows some human bodies (specifically saints and beati) to completely or partially avoid the normal decomposition process after death. It is believed that God preserves the bodies of some saints from the normal decomposition process because of their sanctity. While incorruptibility is not generally deemed to be a prerequisite for sainthood, there are reportedly many Eastern Orthodox saints whose bodies have been found to be incorrupt.
St. Bernadette Soubirous, also known as Soeur Marie Bernarde, is one such saint whose body was found to be incorrupt. Bernadette lived in a convent for 13 years, spending much of that time ill. She died on April 16, 1879, at the age of 35. Her body was first exhumed in 1909, 30 years after her death, and was found to be in a remarkable state of preservation. The skin of St. Bernadette was perfectly natural in tone, and her body was flexible. The second exhumation took place in 1919, and the third in 1925, and on both occasions, the body was found to be intact, with no further evidence of decomposition. The body of St. Bernadette was washed and clothed in a new habit before being placed in a sealed double casket. The face and hands of the saint were covered with a wax mask, as they had become discoloured due to the washing.
The preservation of St. Bernadette's body is considered miraculous, especially since the body was not embalmed, refrigerated, or oxygenated. The only decay found was due to the hasty washing of the body with lye soap. The body of St. Bernadette continues to inspire millions, who come to see her well-preserved remains and pay their respects.
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Incorruptibility and the body of St. Francis Xavier
Incorruptibility is a Catholic and Orthodox belief that some human bodies, specifically saints and beati, are preserved from the normal decomposition process after death due to divine intervention. While it is not a prerequisite for sainthood, it is often seen as a sign of holiness. The bodies of these saints are not mummified, but instead have soft skin and pliable limbs. They may also emit a sweet fragrance or produce blood or oils.
St. Francis Xavier is one such saint whose body was found to be incorruptible. A medical examiner, a year and a half after the saint's death, found fresh blood on his finger when he placed it into one of the wounds on the body. In 1614, during his canonization proceedings, St. Francis Xavier's right arm was amputated to be sent as a sacred relic to the Vatican. This relic was then taken on a cross-Canada pilgrimage in 2022, where Catholics across the country were provided with the opportunity to venerate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Incorruptibility is a Catholic and Orthodox belief that divine intervention allows some human bodies (of saints and beati) to completely or partially avoid the normal decomposition process after death.
Yes, there are. Members of other religions have been discovered in uncorrupted states. Rabbi Louis Ginzberg mentions an alleged case of bodily incorruptibility of the Biblical Baruch, scribe of Jeremiah, in his work "Legends of the Jews". In the 20th century, the body of Italian fascist Cardinal Shuster was found uncorrupted 31 years after his death.
Incorruptibility is a rare phenomenon. There are more than 300 saints whose bodies were exhumed decades or centuries after their death and showed no signs of decomposition. However, experts rarely check on dead bodies to see how the decomposition process is progressing, so it is hard to know how common incorruptibility is.
The Church does not consider incorruptibility to be one of the miracles required for canonization. The miracles required for sainthood must be attributed to the intercession of the person in question. However, the Church does appreciate incorruptibility as a supernatural occurrence.
Scientists suggest that there could be some unknown scientific phenomenon that allows a small percentage of bodies to resist decomposition. However, many cases of incorruptibility remain unexplained by modern science.
