Stigmatization

Religious stigmata: a dermato‐psychiatric approach and differential diagnosis

“…Skin is usually devoid of any sign of inflammation or infectious disease . The reported associated pain is usually intense and corresponds to the degree of the inflicted lesion .…”

“…These cases illustrate the complex relation between the state of mind of certain human beings and the roman‐catholic Church's vision of Christ's suffering to the point of reproducing self‐inflicted wounds in certain individuals . Since then, around 300 cases were described, but their authenticity remains in question as only around 70 cases were considered genuine by the Catholic Church. The majority were white roman‐catholic women, in their reproductive years, who lived in western Europe and southern America .…”

“…Among the famous stigmatics, Saint Catherine of Siena (1347–1380), Saint Rita von Cascia (1381–1457), Lucy of Narnia (1476–1544), Catherine of Ricci (1522–1590), Veronica Guiliani (1660–1727), Anne Catherine Emmerick (1774–1824), Maria Mörl of Tyrol (1812–1883), Maria Domenica Lazzari (1815–1850), Juliana Weisskircher (1824–1851), Maria Beatrix Schuman (1853–), Louise Lateau (1850–1883), Gemma Golgani (1878–1903), Padre Pio (1887–1968), Thérèse Neumann (1898–1962), and Marie Rose Ferron (1902–1936). The last five of these have been extensively evaluated by doctors and scientists …”

“…Thus, these symptoms are more likely to be culture‐bound phenomena than overt psychotic symptoms. Nonetheless, one cannot exclude that stigmata can also take place in individuals suffering from mystical delusions in the context of a patent psychotic disorder …”

“…Later on, after the cultural spread of Christianity, the term took on a mystical meaning. It referred to the wounds reproduced on the human body, similar to the ones inflicted on the Christ during his crucifixion, on the palms, soles, and head (in lieu of the Crown of Thorns), as well as the right or the left side of the chest, the lips (in contact with the vinegar‐soaked sponge), and the back (marks of lashing). Throughout history, stigmata have appeared not only in saints, priests, nuns, and frauds but also in people suffering from dermatological conditions such as hematidrosis and various psychiatric disorders .…”