Posts tagged catholic

Stigmata & Saint Pio of Peitrelcina Stigmata is when a person has unexplained wounds on their body that coincide with the traditional wounds that Christ had. In some cases the wounds can appear in only one or two of the areas, but there have been instances of it occurring in all five places that Christ was wounded. The wounds can cause considerable pain which has been known to worsen on certain religious feast days. There have been occasional cases of falsified stigmata in the past and some people claim that even those which are not proven to be falsified are somehow part of a hoax. The photograph above is of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Canonized in 2002) who is the most recent stigmatic in the Catholic Church. Saint Pio is the latest in a long line of famous stigmatics – the most famous of whom is probably St Francis of Assisi. Writing to his spiritual director, Saint Pio said: Then last night something happened which I can neither explain nor understand. In the middle of the palms of my hands a red mark appeared, about the size of a penny, accompanied by acute pain in the middle of the red marks. The pain was more pronounced in the middle of the left hand, so much so that I can still feel it. Also under my feet I can feel some pain. It is also alleged that Saint Pio was able to bi-locate (appear in two places at once) and to read the sins on a person’s soul.

Stigmata & Saint Pio of Peitrelcina

Stigmata is when a person has unexplained wounds on their body that coincide with the traditional wounds that Christ had. In some cases the wounds can appear in only one or two of the areas, but there have been instances of it occurring in all five places that Christ was wounded. The wounds can cause considerable pain which has been known to worsen on certain religious feast days. There have been occasional cases of falsified stigmata in the past and some people claim that even those which are not proven to be falsified are somehow part of a hoax.

The photograph above is of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Canonized in 2002) who is the most recent stigmatic in the Catholic Church. Saint Pio is the latest in a long line of famous stigmatics – the most famous of whom is probably St Francis of Assisi. Writing to his spiritual director, Saint Pio said:

Then last night something happened which I can neither explain nor understand. In the middle of the palms of my hands a red mark appeared, about the size of a penny, accompanied by acute pain in the middle of the red marks. The pain was more pronounced in the middle of the left hand, so much so that I can still feel it. Also under my feet I can feel some pain.

It is also alleged that Saint Pio was able to bi-locate (appear in two places at once) and to read the sins on a person’s soul.

(Source: listverse.com)

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The Exorcism of Emily Rose This is not an urban legend. It is a true story about a young woman in Bavaria, Germany who was thought to be possessed by evil spirits and went through a grueling exorcism. Sadly, Anneliese Michel (Emily Rose) did not survive and the controversy regarding her exorcism remains to this day. Anneliese Michel was brought up in a hard-working, faithful catholic family. She was a typical girl who moved to a big city after receiving a scholarship. Not long after starting classes, this 19-year-old college freshman began exhibiting bizarre behavior, typical to those who were thought to be possessed. Distraught, Anneliese then seeks medical advice and the doctor tells her that she experienced a grand-mall seizure and that she has epilepsy. Anneliese then turns to her priest who believes that she is possessed by an evil force.  As time passes, it is clear to the priest and her parents that an exorcism must be performed to save her. It was approved by the diocese and began, strangely enough, on Halloween. Lasting for several months, the procedure took it’s toll on Anneliese, the priests, and her family. Anneliese was often violent and her behavior was what “normal” people would find repulsive. She engaged in self-mutilation, attacked family members, ate insects, was verbally abusive, and destroyed religious symbols. This all takes it’s toll and Anneliese dies a tragic death in 1976, embarrassing the church and outraging others. Forensic evidence concludes that Anneliese starved to death and subsequent investigations into her untimely death leads to arguments as to whether she was really possessed by evil spirits or had epilepsy. Two priests and her parents (who believed she was possessed) were accused of negligent homicide and later foiund guilty of manslaughter.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

This is not an urban legend. It is a true story about a young woman in Bavaria, Germany who was thought to be possessed by evil spirits and went through a grueling exorcism. Sadly, Anneliese Michel (Emily Rose) did not survive and the controversy regarding her exorcism remains to this day.

Anneliese Michel was brought up in a hard-working, faithful catholic family. She was a typical girl who moved to a big city after receiving a scholarship. Not long after starting classes, this 19-year-old college freshman began exhibiting bizarre behavior, typical to those who were thought to be possessed.

Distraught, Anneliese then seeks medical advice and the doctor tells her that she experienced a grand-mall seizure and that she has epilepsy. Anneliese then turns to her priest who believes that she is possessed by an evil force. 

As time passes, it is clear to the priest and her parents that an exorcism must be performed to save her. It was approved by the diocese and began, strangely enough, on Halloween. Lasting for several months, the procedure took it’s toll on Anneliese, the priests, and her family.

Anneliese was often violent and her behavior was what “normal” people would find repulsive. She engaged in self-mutilation, attacked family members, ate insects, was verbally abusive, and destroyed religious symbols. This all takes it’s toll and Anneliese dies a tragic death in 1976, embarrassing the church and outraging others. Forensic evidence concludes that Anneliese starved to death and subsequent investigations into her untimely death leads to arguments as to whether she was really possessed by evil spirits or had epilepsy. Two priests and her parents (who believed she was possessed) were accused of negligent homicide and later foiund guilty of manslaughter.


(Source: rgoldberg.info)

21 notes