In 1224, while praying and fasting on Mount La Verna in Italy, St. Francis of Assisi experienced a vision of a seraphic angel bearing the image of the Crucified Christ.
As the vision faded, Francis felt an intense, burning love and pain.
When he looked at his hands, feet, and side, he discovered the stigmata — the wounds of Christ’s crucifixion — imprinted miraculously on his body.
These wounds remained until his death, making St. Francis the first recorded person in history to bear the stigmata.
Witnesses testified that the wounds bled yet never became infected, and many miraculous healings were reported through his intercession.
This miracle became a powerful symbol of his deep union with Christ’s suffering and love for humanity.
