The goal of every saint (which, is to say, the goal for all of us!) is to become more and more like Jesus Christ in all that they say and do on earth. The hope is that by doing so, their soul will be better prepared to be fully united with Jesus for all eternity.
In rare cases, this imitation of Jesus goes to a whole new level. Not only does the saint imitate Jesus through their actions, but they literally take on the wounds of Christ. This is called the "stigmata" (meaning marks) and is a gift from God given to particular saints.
What happens in most cases is the wounds usually appear visibly on the head (as Jesus' head was wounded by the crown of thorns), on the hands and feet (as Jesus was wounded with the nails), and on the side (as Jesus was wounded with the lance). Some saints have borne the stigmata invisibly, with the wounds causing pain but not visible to the outside world.
St. Francis of Assisi is generally regarded as the first saint known to have received the stigmata, or at least the first recorded in history.
After him, though it occurred around the same time, is St. Lutgarde of Aywières, a Belgian Cistercian nun who was the first woman known to have received the stigmata.
Devoted to the Sacred Heart
Born in 1182 (a year after St. Francis was born), St. Lutgarde joined a Benedictine monastery at the age of 12, and began experiencing a variety of mystical experiences.
One of the major experiences she had was an "exchange of hearts." In her vision, Jesus asked her, "What, then, do you want?"
She responded by saying, "Lord, I want Thy Heart." Jesus responded by saying, "Well, I too want your heart."
Thus she became more intimately united to Jesus in a way few have ever achieved. Shortly after this she had another vision of Jesus; this time he was on the cross. He embraced her from the cross and she pressed her lips to his bleeding side.
After this point her fellow nuns often found her drenched in blood after time spent in prayer. She would sweat blood, and blood would come from her hands as well. Once a priest encountered her and saw the blood, but then it miraculously disappeared.
St. Lutgarde died on June 16, 1246, 20 years after St. Francis of Assisi died. Her mysticism has fascinated many over the years and she is regarded as one of the earliest saints to have spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
