The body of a Catholic nun, Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, which has not decomposed since her death in 2019, is attracting thousands of pilgrims in Gower, Missouri after it was exhumed by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. had gone.
No chemicals were used to preserve his body. Visitors were also allowed to take a teaspoonful of soil from his grave.
They were also allowed to take a teaspoonful of soil from his grave.
According to the monastic account, the sister was exhumed by the monastery to prepare a new shrine, which included her restoration, and was discovered with “a perfectly preserved religious habit.”
Samuel Dawson, a visitor from Kansas City, Missouri, described it as “very peaceful” and “very respectful”.
Dawson said the nuns let visitors touch Sister Lancaster because they “wanted to make her accessible to the public because in real life, she was always accessible to people”.
Many have described it as a sign of holiness, but there have been some scientific explanations for this phenomenon.
The Diocese of Kansas City St. Joseph said: “The condition of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster’s remains has understandably generated widespread interest and raised important questions.”
“At the same time, it is important to protect the integrity of Sister Wilhelmina’s remains to allow for a thorough investigation.”
According to the Catholic News Agency, Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster died on May 29, 2019 at the age of 95 and was buried in a wooden coffin.
“Lack of decomposition may not be that rare,” notes Rebecca George, an anthropology tutor at Western Carolina University, adding that coffins and clothing help preserve bodies.
He added: “Usually when we bury people, we don’t exhume them. We don’t get to see them until a couple of years later.”
“With 100 years, there might not be anything left, but it’s not unexpected when you only have a few years.”
The Catholic News Agency said that in Catholicism, a body that resists the normal decay after death is considered defective, and “immortal saints bear witness to the truth of the resurrection of the body and the life to come.” give,” said the Catholic News Agency.
Speaking to CNN, Nicholas V. Passalkova, associate professor and director of forensic anthropology at Western Carolina University, said, “It’s hard to say how common it is because bodies are rarely exhumed after burial. ”
“But there are many famous cases of well-preserved human remains. Not just things like Egyptian mummies that were deliberately preserved, but also things like European bogbodies that were so well-preserved for thousands of years because they “There was less atmospheric oxygen, which limited bacterial growth and residue access to decomposers.”