[b][/b]Incorruptibility is a Catholic belief that divine intervention allows some human bodies (specifically saints and beati ) to avoid the normal process of decomposition after death as a sign of their holiness. Bodies that undergo little or no decomposition, or delayed decomposition, are sometimes referred to as incorrupt or incorruptible. Incorruptibility is thought to occur even in the presence of factors which normally hasten decomposition, as in the cases of saints Catherine of Genoa , Julie Billiart and Francis Xavier . The Incorruptibles are saints whose bodies are miraculously preserved after death, defying the normal process of decomposition. St. Cecilia is probably the first saint known to be incorrupt, but the bodies of these saints can be found in many places throughout the world. Normally after death, our bodies naturally decompose. As Genesis 3:19 says, “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” However, there are saints who exhibited such holiness that God preserved their bodies science has no explanation for this. Modern science relegates the incorruptibles to the status of mummies, pretending it understands and can comfortably categorize these saints. How then do the scientists explain the fact that a year and a half after the death of St. Francis Xavier, a medical examiner placed a finger into one of the saint’s wounds and found fresh blood on his finger when he withdrew it? Or that when a finger was amputated from St. John of the Cross several months after his death, it was immediately observed that blood began to flow from the wound? Or the case of St. Nicholas of Tolentino, whose arms have frequently bled over the last 400 years? No, these saints are in a class by themselves. Even though incorruptibility does not automatically confer sainthood upon the subject, it is still properly appreciated by the Church as a supernatural occurrence. The truth is that these occurrences cannot be understood outside of Divine intervention on behalf of these saints, as the laws of nature have been suspended on behalf of the incorruptible saints. Perhaps it is that God is visibly showing us his pleasure with these saints? Still, it is a physical manifestation of God’s love, and the incorruptible saints console us by their presence, seeming to plead with us to likewise make ourselves pleasing to God in all ways.

St. Rita being an incorruptible is not scary; it’s amazing! Of course, being face to face with someone who has been dead for over 500 years can make even the most devout feel a bit uneasy. The spookiness with St. Rita comes from a few events that have taken place after she died. Her body rests in a glass sarcophagus located about eye level to most visitors. For hundreds of years pilgrims have come to pray at her tomb. On several occasions there are reported cases of St. Rita opening her eyes, changing position, and even elevating. All of these events were recorded by multiple eyewitnesses. Imagine praying at her tomb, looking up and seeing her open eyes looking back at you. Her body is incorrupt and lies in the Sanctuary of St. Rita of Cascia in Cascia, Italy. She died on May 22, 1457, and is the patron saint of hopeless causes.

St. Vincent de Paul’s heart and bones are completely incorrupt. His bones are underneath wax (pictured above) at the Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris, France. His heart, however, is at Chapel of the Daughters of Charity in the Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal , also in Paris. This incredible saint dedicated his life to serving the poor, and is patron saint of charities, spiritual help, volunteers, prisoners, and hospitals. He also founded the Vincentians. St. Vincent de Paul died on Sept. 27, 1660.

St. Catherine Labouré was a Marian visionary and sister of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. The Blessed Mother gave her the Miraculous Medal during one of her apparitions. St. Catherine’s incorrupt body lies at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris, France. She died on Dec. 31, 1876.

St. Bernadette was a Marian visionary known for the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes. Although there is a light wax mask covering her face and hands, her body is still fully intact. Her body lies at the Sanctuary of Saint Bernedette Soubirous of Nevers in Nevers, France. St. Bernadette is the patron saint of the ill. She died on April 16, 1879.

St. John Vianney is known for converting his parish community in Ars, France. He is the patron saint of priests. His face consists of a wax mask, but his body lies incorrupt in the Sanctuary of Ars in France. St. John Vianney died on Aug. 4, 1859.

St. Robert Bellarmine was a Jesuit, cardinal, and a great preacher. He is a Doctor of the Church and patron saint of Catechists. HIs remains can be found at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola at Campus Martius in Rome . St. Robert Bellarmine died on September 17, 1621.

Saint Catherine died in Rome and was buried at Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Knowing how much it would please the people of Siena to have the remains of their great fellow citizen among them, her confessor sent her head to Siena. it’s been said that her tomb was not very tightly sealed and her body was exposed to dampness, so she was not forcefully decapitated. Her head just popped right off. The church of San Domenico in Siena has her head as well as one of her fingers. Other parts of her can be found in a convent in Rome and a church in Venice.

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi

Santa Vittoria in Rome

Feet of Santa Lucia in Venice

Saint Ambrose and Friends in Milan

Saint Antoninus of Florence

Some Rando in Munich

A List of Incorruptible Saints

Saint Agatha

Saint Agnes of Montepulciano

Blessed Andrew Franchi

Blessed Angela of Foligno

Saint Angela Merici

Blessed Angelo of Acri

Blessed Angelo of Chivasso

Blessed Anthony Bonfadini

Blessed Anthony of Stroncone

Blessed Antonia of Florence

Saint Benedict the Moor

Saint Bernadette Soubirous

Saint Bernardine of Siena

Saint Catherine of Bologna

Saint Catherine of Genoa

Saint Cecilia

Saint Charles Borromeo

Saint Charles of Sezze

Saint Clare of Assisi

Saint Clare of Montefalco

Saint Crispin of Viterbo

Saint Didacus of Alcala

Saint Eustochium

Saint Fernando III

Saint Frances of Rome

Saint Francis de Sales

Blessed Francis of Fabriano

Venerable Francis Gonzaga

Blessed Gabriel Ferretti

Blessed Gandolph of Binasco

Blessed Helen Enselmini

Saint Ignatius of Laconi

Saint Ignatius of Santhia

Blessed Imelda Lambertini

Blessed James of Bitecto

Saint James of the March

Blessed James Oldo

Blessed James of Pieve

Blessed James of Strepar

Saint Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney (The Curé of Ars)

Blessed Jane Mary of Maille

Blessed Jane of Signa

Saint Jane of Valois

Saint John Bosco

Saint Joseph of Cupertino

Saint Louis Bertrand

Blessed Lucy of Narni

Blessed Margaret of Castello

Saint Margaret of Cortona

Blessed Margaret of Lorraine

Blessed Mark Marconi

Venerable Mary of Agreda

Blessed Mary Assunta Pollotta

Saint Mary Joseph Rossello

Blessed Mary Magdalene Martinengo

Blessed Matthia Nazzarei

Blessed Nicholas Factor

Saint Pacifico of San Severino

Saint Paschal Baylon

Blessed Philippa Mareri

Saint Pope Pius X

Saint Rose of Viterbo

Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio

Saint Seraphin of Montegranaro

Blessed Salome of Cracow

Saint Sperandia

Saint Veronica Giuliani

Saint Vincent Pallotti

Saint Zita

Saint Albert the Great

Saint Alphege of Canterbury

Blessed Alphonsus of Orozco

Saint Andrew Bobola

Blessed Angelo of Borgo San Sepolcro

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi

Saint Anthony Maria Zaccaria

Saint Antoninus

Blessed Arcangela Girlani

Saint Benezet

Blessed Bernard Scammacca

Blessed Bertrand of Garrigua

Saint Camillus de Lellis

Venerable Catalina de Cristo

Saint Catherine Labouré

Blessed Charbel Makhlouf

Saint Catherine dei Ricci

Saint Catherine of Siena

Saint Coloman

Saint Cuthbert

Saint Dominic Savio

Saint Edmund Rich of Canterbury

Saint Edward the Confessor

Saint Etheldreda

Blessed Eustochia Calafato

Saint Ezequiel Moreno y Diaz

Saint Francis of Paola

Saint Francis Xavier

Saint George Preca

Saint Germaine Cousin

Saint Guthlac

Annibale Maria di Francia (Founder of the Rogationist and
Daughters of Divine Zeal)

Saint Herculanus of Piegaro

Saint Hugh of Lincoln

Saint Idesbald

Saint Isidore the Farmer

Blessed James of Blanconibus

Venerable John of Jesus Mary

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal

Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac

Blessed John of Chiaramonte

Saint John of God

Saint John of the Cross

Saint John Southworth

Saint Josaphat

Saint Julie Billiart

Blessed Karl of Austria

Saint Louise de Marillac

Saint Luigi Orione

Saint Lucy Filippini

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat

Blessed Mafalda of Portugal

Blessed Margaret of Savoy

Saint Maria Goretti

Venerable Maria Vela

Saint Martin de Porres

Blessed Mary Bagnesi

Saint Mary Magdalen de' Pazzi

Blessed Mary of the Divine Heart

Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres

Venerable Mother Maria of Jesus

Saint Nicholas of Tolentino

Blessed Osanna of Mantua

Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Blessed Paula Frassinetti

Saint Peregrine Laziosi

Blessed Peter Ghigenzi

Saint Philip Neri

Saint Pierre Julien Eymard

Saint Rita of Cascia

Saint Romuald

Saint Rose of Lima

Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne

Blessed Sibyllina Biscossi

Saint Silvan

Saint Stanislaus Kostka

Saint Teresa of Avila

Saint Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart

Saint Ubald of Gubbio

Saint Vincent de Paul

Saint Waltheof

Saint Werburgh

Saint Withburga

Saint Wunibald