Stigmata

Stigmata are the wounds that were, according to the Bible, inflicted on Jesus Christ during his crucifixion.

1. Wounds in hands or wrists, caused by nails
2. Wounds in feet, caused by nails (not explicitly mentioned in any canonical gospel)
3. The Crown of Thorns
4. Whip lashings on the back, scourging
5. A spear or sword in the side

Throughout history, several people are said to be Stigmatics, who show some of the same wounds for no apparent reason other than their strong belief in Christianity, with Saint Francis of Assisi being the first of them. Today, at least some of them are known to have faked the wounds, like Magdalena de la Cruz (1487-1560), who admitted the fraud. Similar self-infliction of wounds can be caused by certain brain disorders.

The stigmata theme has been used in several movies, as in "Stigmata" (1999) starring Patricia Arquette and Gabriel Bryne.

Other meanings of the word include:

• A mark of disgrace
• A scar or birthmark
• In biology, a mark or pore, like the respiratory opening of an insect or eyespots in certain algae
• A brandmark