Any other "Incorruptibles" turn completely black?

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I’m not that knowledgeable…what are incorruptibles?

Sorry if it’s a stupid question…thanks 🙂

Peace Be With You!
 
I’m not knowledgeable about all the incorruptibles, but there is a book by Joan Carroll Cruz that you might be interested in. It is called “The Incorruptibles”.

What I do know is that some incorruptibles are that way for a short time and then start to decay, others for hundreds of years before they start to decay.

You might want to look into that book. It may have pictures of some too.

Here is a link on Amazon.com: amazon.com/Incorruptibles-Incorruption-Bodies-Various-Catholic/dp/0895550660

God Bless,
Snert
 
Monica,

From my research I have seen only one Catholic incorruptible who darkened. I can’t remember who, but she is one of the few (if only?) who is sitting up. The explanation I have read, for her state, is the amount of soot from the candles around her.

Now I have seen that most of the “incorruptible” Orthodox saints are darkened. They appear to be in much later form of decay. Just my personal opinion, but they look more naturally decayed to me and not necessarily incorrupt.

The reference picture you provided looks like it could be from the Orthodox Church. The icon in the center looks more like an Orthodox Patriarch. Although, the Eastern Catholic Bishops wear similar vestments.

Maybe if you could attach a link to the blog itself, I could read further. I am very interested in getting the book that a PP mentioned. Incorruptibles have always interested me. I really want to see St. Bernadette in person, someday.
 
Joe_Kelley said:
I think it was Saint Bernadette whose body blackened when it was mishandled after exhumation. Some cosmetic work has been done to cover the damage.
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St Bernadette did not really blacken; she was more reddened in a few places when she was washed. Some of the spots have been referred to as a “bruising color” which can be black in the center. She now has a thin wax covering over her face and hands.
 
LittleDeb said:
The reference picture you provided looks like it could be from the Orthodox Church. The icon in the center looks more like an Orthodox Patriarch.
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Just to clarify, this is the body of John Maximovitch, who was a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in the 20th century before its reunion with the Moscow Patriarchate. It resides in Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco.
 
From my research I have seen only one Catholic incorruptible who darkened. I can’t remember who, but she is one of the few (if only?) who is sitting up. The explanation I have read, for her state, is the amount of soot from the candles around her.
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St. Catherine of Bologna.
 
My understanding, from what I remember reading of the contemporary account of the investigation of St. John Maximovtich’s relics, was that the body appeared lifelike when originally exhumed, but started to darken a couple of hours after being uncovered.
 
LittleDeb said:
Monica,

From my research I have seen only one Catholic incorruptible who darkened. I can’t remember who, but she is one of the few (if only?) who is sitting up. The explanation I have read, for her state, is the amount of soot from the candles around her.

Now I have seen that most of the “incorruptible” Orthodox saints are darkened. They appear to be in much later form of decay. Just my personal opinion, but they look more naturally decayed to me and not necessarily incorrupt.

The reference picture you provided looks like it could be from the Orthodox Church. The icon in the center looks more like an Orthodox Patriarch. Although, the Eastern Catholic Bishops wear similar vestments.

Maybe if you could attach a link to the blog itself, I could read further. I am very interested in getting the book that a PP mentioned. Incorruptibles have always interested me. I really want to see St. Bernadette in person, someday.
Click to expand...
Do you know anything about the Muslim’s who have been found to be Incorruptible? In speaking with an Imam, he told me about an instance where something happened - maybe a flood or any earthquake with unearthed a Muslim burial ground and most (if not all) were found to be Incorruptible.

It is interesting that you say there is a Saint who is in a sitting position. I wonder how that came about?
 
SingleMomMonica said:
Do you know anything about the Muslim’s who have been found to be Incorruptible? In speaking with an Imam, he told me about an instance where something happened - maybe a flood or any earthquake with unearthed a Muslim burial ground and most (if not all) were found to be Incorruptible.

It is interesting that you say there is a Saint who is in a sitting position. I wonder how that came about?
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There are many people who claim that there are Muslim incorruptibles. There aren’t any as far as I know. There are some who were naturally mummified. There are natural Buddhist mummies too. There are diets that certain Buddhist monks begin to consume while nearing death to mummify their bodies. Incorruptibles are soft and supple. Mummies are dried out and fragile.

There is only one non-Catholic incorruptible that has been verified as truly incorrupt. His name was Medgar Evers. He was a black, equal rights leader who was gunned down in his driveway. When his assassin finally went to trial 30+ years later, he was exhumed for further medical reports and was found to be incorrupt.

Here’s a link to some of the Catholic incorruptibles: catholicapologetics.info/library/gallery/incorrupt/incorrupt.htm#Bologna
including St Catherine. It tells why she is sitting up. St. Zita looks like she might have darkened too.
 
LittleDeb said:
St Bernadette did not really blacken; she was more reddened in a few places when she was washed. Some of the spots have been referred to as a “bruising color” which can be black in the center. She now has a thin wax covering over her face and hands.
Click to expand...
Thanks - Joe
 
Just to clarify, and someone please correct me if I am wrong, but in the Orthodox Church, incorruptibility is *necessary *for Orthodox sainthood. In the Catholic Church it is more of a “proof” of sainthood. In other words, really great, but not totally necessary.

Because of that, I believe that the Orthodox have a bit of a different definition of what it means to be “incorrupt.”

And to further clarify, some of the Catholic saints who are considered incorrupt are not completely incorrupt. St. Vincent de Paul, for example, has only incorrupt bones and heart. They are inside a wax effigy of him. That is important to note.

Since the definitions of incorrupt are different between the east and the west, it would appear that many Orthodox saints have darkened or turned completely black. Of the ones I have seen of the Orthodox, most (possibly all?) have darkened. Does anyone know of an Orthodox saint who is more in the state of someone like, St Maria Gorretti? marypages.com/gorettieng.htm (Scroll to the bottom to see her in her incorrupt state.)
 
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