The Greek word stigma derived from the Latin stigma , which came to our language as stigma . This is the name given to a mark engraved on the body or even a symbolic mark that is attributed to an individual or a social group.
The idea of stigma is usually used to name a trace that, supernaturally , appears on a person's skin. These are sores or wounds that, according to the beliefs of followers of the Christian religion, arise spontaneously and are similar to the injuries that Jesus suffered when he was crucified.
Those who suffer from the stigmata not only go through physical suffering, but also moral suffering. It is said that the stigmata appear on the feet, hands, the left sector of the torso, the back and/or the head , remembering the flagellation and crowning of thorns of Jesus Christ .
For the Catholic Church , stigmata can be due to an intervention of the devil or a divine gift . A famous stigmatized person recognized by Catholicism was Saint Francis of Assisi , who is believed to have received the stigmata on Mount Alvernia in 1224 . According to scientific research, however, stigmata are not a supernatural phenomenon, but a physical manifestation of a psychological process, without an organic cause.
There are many cases of alleged stigmata that have been documented over the centuries; The most interesting aspect of all of them is the apparent spontaneity with which the different wounds materialized, and the fact that they reflected those that Jesus of Nazareth himself had suffered in his last days.
Although the name of Saint Francis of Assisi is the first to emerge in the search for the oldest stigmatization, today we know that the case of Mary of Oignies , a blessed woman who was born in the year 1177, who annulled her marriage to dedicate herself to religion, took place some time before. Other names that we can highlight on this list are Catherine of Siena, Teresa Neumann, Gema Galgani and Padre Pio of Pietrelcina .
Given the so-called true stigmatizations , there are several points that even today manage to perplex the most agnostic scholars, and prevent them from finding a scientific explanation:
* wounds caused by stigmata cannot be cured with medical treatments, unlike common ones, since they do not heal;
* no foul odors are perceived, something common in natural wounds that remain open for a certain time. In history, only one exception to this rule has been recorded, with the wound on the forehead of Rita of Casia , which was caused by a thorn from Jesus' crown and emitted a repulsive odor, although it never festered or altered the fabrics ;
* some of the wounds of the true stigmata emit very pleasant aromas, as they claim happened with Juana de la Cruz and Lucía Brocadelli from Narni .
Many believe that those who were stigmatized wanted to suffer the same wounds as Jesus, to be like him, but according to various testimonies, all of them were surprised by the phenomenon .
In the field of sociology , a stigma is a negative trait attributed to a community or a subject. Those who are stigmatized are belittled and considered inferior or worthless. Physical deformity, mental illness, sexual orientation and even a religion can constitute stigmas.
The glandular body of a flower that is located in the upper sector of the pistil and that is responsible for receiving pollen is also called stigma, as is the orifice of various arthropod animals that allows air to enter their respiratory system.