Why don’t you read about St. Pius X? You can get a good foundation if you read about him.
IMO, the incorruptibles that have wax masks on to cover dark spots don’t count as being incorruptible. Are there any bodies that have remained preserved without the addition of a wax mask or anything else unnatural?
From what I’d read, St. Bernadette’s body was partially mummified. That doesn’t sound incorrupt to me.
Read where? I’ve read a good deal about her from many sources and never read that she was “partially mummified.”
Yes, Bernadette. A very light coat of wax was applied to her hands and face, but was completely unnecessary. Pictures of her look like a person who is sleeping: St. Bernadette
I read that in an article I found online.
The author has some of the facts wrong. The wax was not applied to cover up any blackness that had “developed.” A light coating of clear wax would not do this. There was a little darkening around the eyes, because the sisters washed her body in water after it had been exhumed and found incorrupt. This wasn’t a good idea, and it was unnecessary. No mummification had taken place due to the soil. We know this because other bodies buried where and in the same way Bernadette’s had been had undergone decay normal for bodies buried in the ground of the convent.
From an article on EWTN, which says much of the same thing: ewtn.com/library/mary/bernbody.htm
I don’t know where EWTN got it’s information, but it’s wrong. You can see in the picture that her nose is not shrunken. A light coat of wax would do nothing to “disguise” that. Again, Bernadette’s body was perfectly preserved. This is the testimony of those who were there and saw her body. And pictures don’t lie–no “photo shopping” has been done to the pictures. She was/is as she appears–preserved with no corruption.
I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree, then.
Certainly. That’s fine. I would only point out, though that I have read material which quoted the sisters who saw Bernadette’s exhumed body. I would suggest reading that kind of source rather than speculations by those who have not–who have gotten their information 2nd or 3rd hand. And not only in regards to this issue, but all such matters.
Della no incorrupt saint I know of is perfectly preserved or unblackened and does not slowly deteriorate over time. Unless you can reference source material other-wise I think it best to stick with what is generally known and accepted.
IMO, It’s the latter.My main source is Bernadette of Lourdes: Shepherdess, Sister, Saint in which the author Frances Parkinson Keyes interviewed still living sisters of Bernadette’s convent. The wax coating was not a heavy molded mask–it was quite light and was applied to both her face and her hands. The man who applied it was surprised at how supple her skin was. She is as she was–incorrupt. I will trust accounts recorded by one who spoke to those who were eye witnesses.
Della if you are really interested in the truth of this matter then you will investigate all the sources, especially the professional testimony of medical specialists who provided reports at each of her three exhumations as linked below. If we simply cherry pick less than robust sources that agree with our own predelections it is hard to ever escape our own limitations and gain wisdom.