WHAT IS A STIGMATA?

Any sores, bodily marks, sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus such as the hands, feet, In some cases, rope marks on the wrists have accompanied the wounds on the hands are called Stigmata( wikipedia.org). The stigmata is the spontaneous appearance or manifestations of bloody wounds on a person's body that is similar to that of  Jesus Christ. It is  the wounds made by the nail on hands and feet, the wounds made by the crown of thorns on the head, the scourge marks on the body, the wound made by the lance on the side of the body and the wounds at the wrist made by the cords. Wounds of Stigmatics varies. There are stigmatas that are not just wounds that is circular in shape because of the nails but there are also wounds that have an unusual shape such as a cross. There are cases of a Stigmatist or stigmatic person wherein there are no visible marks but feels the pain and sufferings, these occurrences are  considered as invisible stigmata.  A stigmata may be temporary, within a period of time or even permanent but usually the wounds that appear heals a few hours after its appearance and then re-appear. Stigmatics are often Catholics and are mostly women.
We know that blood have an rusty iron like or stale smell but the blood that ooze from the wounds of a stigmatist have an odor described as an heavenly smell or known as ODOUR OF SANCTITY. The most popular stigmatist of the 20th century was Padre Pio.

Other Known stigmatics were:


GIOVANNI FRANCESCO DI BERNARDONE or known as ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI - Receive his stigmata in 1224. He was the first person who manifests the wounds of the passion of Christ.
St. Catherine di Ricci                                                        
Zlatko Sudac
St. John of God
Marie Rose Ferron
Blessed Lucia Brocadelli of Narni
Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich
Saint Gemma Galgani
Saint Marie of the Incarnation
Saint Pio of Pietrelcina
Saint Rita of Cascia
Marthe Robin
St. Gertrude
St. Lidwine
St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi
St. Mary Frances of the Five Wounds
Bl. Angela of Foligno
Anna Maria Taïgi

There were people who said they manifest the wounds of Jesus but thorough investigations made by the Church revealed that their wounds were self inflicted and some of them were diagnosed to have been suffering from a a certain psychological disorder called Munchausen syndrome. People with Munchausen syndrome have an intense desire for attention.  A self inflicted stigmata heals naturally but a true stigmatic's wound would heal after a few hours after it has appeared. Based on the stories of those who bore stigmata, the wounds and the pains usually were present during Thursdays and Fridays. Stigmata sometimes were accompanied by other unexplainable phenomenon such as prophecy. Others can live with just a little amount of food or water such as in the case of St. Catherine of Siena and Angela of Foligno.
 
There are skeptics who  doesn't believe about the mysticism of Stigmata. Some think that there are scientific explanations on this cases such as Psychogenic Purpura. Others said that this things were work of the Evil forces but I believe these things happened miraculously and those who bore stigmata were chosen  by the Creator to be his servant, to be a living proof that God really exist.