The History of Stigmata

Saint Francis receiving the stigmata. Painting by Ludovico Cigoli, source: Wikimedia, public domain

Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), one of the greatest saints of the Roman Catholic Church, is often credited with being the first to experience the stigmata in 1224.

Blessed Mary of Oignies (1177–1213), a Flemish nun, had a similar experience 12 years earlier, in 1212. The marks were supposedly noticed on her body when it was washed immediately after death. Mary of Oignies, however, was known for self-mutilation, stemming from her belief in her sinfulness, which led her to cut off pieces of her own flesh and hide the wounds out of shame. Therefore, it is possible that she inflicted the wounds on herself.

In 1222, a young man who had supposedly marked his body, head, and hands with the marks of crucifixion was brought before the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton, at the Synod of Oxford. The young man and two women were accused of attempting to crucify the boy and displaying the stigmata.

Wounds similar to the passion of Christ were also found on the body of the Dutch hermit, Blessed Dodo of Asch (von Haske), after his death in 1231, when he was crushed against the wall of his hermitage.

Even if Saint Francis was not the first stigmatic, his case was undoubtedly well documented and his case could thus be considered the first undisputed case of the appearance of stigmata.

In the hundred years following the death of Saint Francis, more than twenty cases of stigmata were recorded. This trend continued in the following centuries, with no fewer than 321 recorded stigmatics by 1894. Most of these, 229, were Italians, 70 were from France, 47 from Spain, 33 from Germany, 15 from Belgium, 13 from Portugal, five each from Switzerland and the Netherlands, three from Hungary, and one from Peru.

The list includes 62 saints, primarily from Roman Catholic countries and those following that religion. The vast majority of cases (66%) were found among members of religious orders, particularly the Dominicans and Franciscans, each numbering around 100. Interestingly, the vast majority of the 321 stigmatics on the list were women (90%).The above figures refer to "La Stigmata," a comprehensive two-part work by Dr. Antoine Imbert-Gourbeyre (1818-1912). The work has been criticized for including several uncertain and unaudited cases, and others presumably escaped Dr. Imberte-Gourbeyre's notice, but the list has not yet been revised.

During the twentieth century, the number of reports of stigmatics increased dramatically, to the point that it could be called the "Age of Stigmata." This century also brought a shift in the pattern: Italian dominance declined somewhat, and a greater number of cases originated in Great Britain, Australia, and the United States.

During this period, many ordinary people and a few non-Christians were reported to have stigmatic symptoms. The overwhelming majority of stigmata cases continued to occur in women.