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What is it

Many bodies of European saints has been found to be incorruptible. One modern example of such a happening is St Bernadette of Lourdes, who died in 1879. Her corpse was exhumed in 1909 and again in 1919, but when examined by the sisters of the Chapel of St Joseph, they found no sign of decomposition, even though it was so damp that one of her crucifixes has rusted and the other was coated with verdigris. Today, the corpse is on exhibition, but it remains as fresh as ever. Some of these bodies are also stigmatic, which means that they have bleeding wounds corresponding to Jesus; crucifixion wounds. One such body was the of St Catherine. She had prayed for the stigmata to leave her only with their pain. This duly occurred by following her death, the stigmata could be seen from beneath the surface of her skin. Even though her coffin was regularly soaked with rain, her body was just incorruptible. 

What is believed to have happened

Many believe that these bodies are incorruptible because of the fact that they all are earnest worshippers of God, and most people believe that God in a way of rewarding their faith, made their bodies incorruptible. This whole thing is highly believed to be another religious enigma, and has also led to greater number of people believing in God, for hope that if they pray, they could also become incorruptible.

What scientists believed 

Scientists believe that certain soil and humidity conditions can delay or distort the process of decomposition, as can saponification, the conversion of body tissues into a soap-like structure structure beneath the toughened outer skin.