Definition

Noun: A person who bears or is believed to bear stigmata—bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain corresponding to and symbolizing the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ. This phenomenon is typically associated with Christian mysticism and is considered a sign of intense religious devotion or divine favor.

Examples

• The most famous stigmatist in history is Saint Francis of Assisi, who reportedly received the stigmata in 1224.
• Some believers traveled great distances to visit the stigmatist, hoping to witness a miracle.
• The church investigated the claims of the alleged stigmatist with both reverence and caution.

Advanced Usage

• The term is used almost exclusively within a religious, particularly Catholic, context to describe individuals who exhibit this specific phenomenon.
• It can sometimes be used in a broader, more figurative sense to describe a person who bears any marks of suffering or persecution, though this usage is rare and literary.

Variants and Related Words

• Stigmata (plural noun): The marks or wounds themselves. (e.g., )
• Stigmatic (adjective): Pertaining to or resembling stigmata. (e.g., )
• Stigmatism (noun): The condition of having stigmata. (This is distinct from the optical term "astigmatism.")

Synonyms

• Bearer of the stigmata (descriptive phrase)
• Stigmatic (can also be used as a noun, though less common than "stigmatist")

Related Phrases

• To receive the stigmata: The phrase describing the moment or process of acquiring the wounds. (e.g., )
• To bear the stigmata: The phrase describing the state of having the wounds. (e.g., )

Noun

1. a person whose body is marked by religious stigmata (such as marks resembling the wounds of the crucified Christ)