Michael Freze

This excellent book discusses the holy people who have suffered some or all of the wounds which Christ suffered during his Passion(stigmata) from St. Francis of Assissi (1186-1226), the first known stigmatist to Padre Pio (1887-1968), who suffered the stigmata for 50 years, longer than any other person. Many of the stigmatists were incorruptible (their bodies did not deteriorate after death); bilocated (were able to be in 2 different places at the same time); survived only on the Eucharist, show more without any food, for prolonged periods of time, eg. Marthe Robin (1902-81) 53 years, and experienced private revelations from Jesus, Mary and many Saints. For example, stigmatist Anne Catherine Emmerich's (1774-1824) private revelations published in "The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations from the Visions of the Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich" (4 volumes) are surpassed in revealing the Truth only by the Bible. Some of the stigmatists describe their visions of purgatory (Sister Josefa Menendez ) and hell (Sister Faustina Kowalski).
This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in Catholic mysticism. show less

Excellent volume with outstanding detail. Also appreciate the full bibliography. This book was a first to read on the topic, the year preceding my Confirmation in the Catholic Church. It opened up the treasure chest, so to speak, in the ways of the saints who suffered in union with Christ. Padre Pio became known to me initially through this book.