A CATHOLIC Saint’s perfectly preserved nearly 500-year-old corpse has been hailed a “miracle” – and even left experts baffled.
Saint Teresa of Avila died in 1582 and was exhumed from a church in Spain last month – and somehow has not decayed.
Images of her remains captured in 1914 were compared to today and it’s claimed she’s “incorrupt”.
The regal silver coffin encased in marble was opened to study St Teresa’s remains and for scientists to grasp what health conditions she may have had.
Her body was dug up by Marco Chiesa, the General Postulator of the Order at the Diocese of Avila in Spain at the end of August.
Church officials took to social media to share the news of her well-preserved remains.
They said: “Her body is still incorrupt. Look for God’s miracles.”
When opening the tomb, doctors compared images of St Teresa’s face and foot in 1914, with the postulator saying it was “difficult” to make a clear comparison as the images are in black and white.
St Teresa is the patron saint of chess players, lace makers, loss of parents, people in need of grace, people in religious orders, those ridiculed for their piety and those who are sick.
She became the first woman to be elevated to doctor of the church in 1970 – which is an honour to deceased saints for their great contribution to the church.
St Teresa was declared a Saint when she was alive in March 1622.
Since her body was dug up, some believe she hasn’t undergone the normal process of decomposing after death which believers claim relate to her relationship with God.
Researchers now look to uncover how St Teresa’s remains have stayed in such good condition and also look into the best ways of preserving relics in the future.
Images of the Saint from 1914 or last month have not been shared yet.
The General Postulator of the Order Marco Chiesa said: “There is no colour, there is no skin colour, because the skin is mummified, but it can be seen, especially in the middle of the face.
“It can be seen well. The expert doctors can see Teresa’s face almost clearly.”
He also confirmed that they’re in the early stages of analysing St Teresa’s body.
But while studying her remains, experts were able to reveal health conditions they found that she suffered with – including calcareous spines on her feet.
She also reportedly suffered from convulsions, stomach issues, dizziness and loss of consciousness.
St Teresa had defended her illnesses when she was alive, claiming they were related to having a connection to God.
There are extreme measures in place to protect her remains, including needing a whopping 10 keys to access her coffin.
The Saint’s corpse will be looked at by a team of experts will conduct visual examinations and take pictures and X-rays of the remains.
Samples collected with then be sent to a lab in Italy and it’s expected to take several months before data can be gathered and shared.
SAINT Teresa of Avila was a Spanish nun and remains one of the great religious women of the Roman Catholic Church.
She was the originator of the Carmelite Reform, which emphasised the austerity of Carmelite life.
St Teresa was elevated to doctor of the church in 1970 by Pope Paul VI – the first woman to ever receive the honour.
She was reportedly disabled for three years, where she spent her time doing mental prayers.
In 1555 she experienced a religious awakening and by 1558 began to consider restoration of Carmelite life to its original form after it relaxed in the 14th and 15th centuries, Britannica reports.
Despite her health problems, she spent the rest of her life establishing 16 more convents across Spain.
