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The exhuming of saint's relics is so imbued in my Orthodox psyche, that I do not *think* that I would have such a problem with this, even if he were my own uncle. People would be venerating, in the age old tradition, his relics--not desecrating them. It is all in how one views death within the context of the Church, holy tradition and sainthood, I suppose.
Ofcourse, as an American born Orthodox, it took me many years to be comfortable with this practice. I remember how horrified I was the first time I saw a saint's relics in a glass reliquary...I was fourteen years old, and was part of the Ionian Village Greek American Archdiocesan summer camp in Greece, and we visiting (with the camp priests) the island of Zakynthos where the intact relics of St. Dionysios reside. ( for anybody interested:
http://home.it.net.au/~jgrapsas/pages/St_Dionysios.htm )
On the other hand, I do think that the public viewing of mummies like King Tutenhkhanum to the curious and somewhat macabre seeking masses, is desecration of the dead.
Alice
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Slava Isusu Khrystu!
I have seen the incorrupt body of Ste. Bernadette Soubirous in France and her relics are very well respected and venerated in the Convent Chapel. Ste. Bernadette is in a beautiful glass and gold embellished coffin. In fact, it is forbidden for pilgrims visiting the chapel to photograph her relics. Everything is done with reverence in regard to her relics and I am sure it be will be the same with the relics of Saint Pio.
Peace,
John Doucette
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John ,
At St Gildard's it is made common knowledge that in fact though the body is incorrupt , it does have a protective coating on it.
Yes it is forbidden to take photographs - but many people do in fact manage to do that.
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Dear Friends,
On Mt Athos, when a monk dies, he is routinely buried under three inches of soil.
After three years, his body is exhumed and examined.
If his body is incorrupt, it is put out for veneration and his monastery may decide to glorify him a saint. The skull is often detached and placed on a "rack."
In fact, when the 12 Greek Monastic builders founded the Kyivan-Pechersk Lavra/Monastery, they brought with them exactly 61 Myrrh-Streaming skulls of unknown Saints that are still at the Lavra to this day - 30 in the Caves of St Anthony and 31 in the Caves of St Theodosius.
The family of St Padre Pio should realize that their relative now belongs to the entire Catholic Church.
Alex
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His relics have been exhumed. Padre Pio's body exhumed
San Giovanni Rotondo, Mar. 3, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Church officials exhumed the body of Padre Pio on March 2, in preparation for the public veneration of his remains later this year.
Bishop Domenico D'Ambrosio reported that the body of Padre Pio, who died in 1968, was partially incorrupt. Although there was no sign of the stigmata-- the wounds on his hands and feet, matching those of the crucified Christ-- the saint's hair and beard were intact. The bishop remarked that the hands of the beloved Capuchin friar were so well preserved that he appeared to have "just had a manicure."
The body of Padre Pio-- who was canonized by Pope John Paul II (bio - news) in 2002-- is being transferred to a new shrine in San Giovanni Rotondo, where he lived. His remains will be exposed for veneration there. Archbishop D'Ambrosio overcame objections from some of Padre Pio's relatives to exhume the saint's body, making it available for veneration during the 40th anniversary of his death. Each year nearly 1 million people travel to San Giovanno Rotondo to visit the saint's grave; Church officials expect larger crowds for the anniversary year.
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So, partially incorrupt?
Although I do think that incorruptibility is an amazing and awe-inspiring phenomenon, I do think it is dangerous to judge one's holiness based on whether or not his body is corrupt.
Alexis
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It is a sign. Correctly interperting signs is another matter.
Is his sainthood in question?
Terry
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No?
That's what I was saying: just because a saint isn't incorrupt doesn't mean anything, though it seems that Padre Pio's body is partially incorrupt.
Alexis
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It is at times difficult to communicate without a broader context from which a reader can acquire meaning. From what you said, and only from what you said then, a reader could believe you were implying that even though St. Padre Pio's hands appear to be incorrupt, he may not be a saint.
That is not the only possible read of what you wrote, but it is one of several. That is why I was wondering if his sainthood is in question.
Terry
Last edited by Terry Bohannon; 03/03/08 11:50 PM.
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I am unfamiliar with the particulars of stigmata. Does it disappear from stigmatists at death?
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Oh, well I really meant to say the opposite: normal corruption doesn't mean the person isn't a saint.
Andrea,
From all the stories I've heard, the stigmata disappears from the stigmatist at the time of death, though sometimes leaving small scars (not sure about the last part, but I think I've heard that somewhere).
Alexis
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Andrea,
From all the stories I've heard, the stigmata disappears from the stigmatist at the time of death, though sometimes leaving small scars (not sure about the last part, but I think I've heard that somewhere).
Alexis Ok, thanks. That does make sense. I was curious! Andrea
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The stigmata of Padre Pio began to heal a few months before his death. It completely healed during the course of his last Mass, when he commemorated the 50th anniversary of his visible stigmata. Videos of that mass clearly show his hands deathly white and without any wound marks. Less than 24 hours later, he reposed.
Photographs taken of his feet when he was lying in state also show no wounds.
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Here is a photo [ wdtprs.com] of the exhumation.
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C. I. X.
Don�t you miss the devil�s advocate? �It�s the miracle that makes the Saint, not the saint that makes the miracle� (I forget which playwright popularized that quote). With the multitude that attended Saint Pio�s glorification I doubt his sainthood is in question over normal decomposition, nor do I think Vladimir II (Lenin) will be considered because of the condition of his remains. We too often forget this as a precursor of our own resurrection of our human body.
The obvious question here, is there not a change of venue? Would this not cause a decline in economics for the original location and open a new opportunity for marketing by the new (tourist) destination? The Reformation unfortunately didn�t always cure the corruptions of the dark ages, sometimes it only camouflaged them leading to new facades on old corruptions.
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