A Missouri nun who died in 2019 has become a focal point for some faithful after her body was recently exhumed and her remains are reportedly mostly intact.
Listen to the latest episode of CBN’s Quick Start podcast 👇
Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, who died at age 95, was exhumed last month, nearly four years after her demise on May 29, 2019, and her body will be placed inside a glass shrine Monday, according to CBS News.
Lancaster’s story has rocketed across media in recent days following reports her body has not decomposed while buried. She was reportedly not embalmed after her death and was placed in a simple wooden casket, adding additional intrigue to the story.
The report has sent thousands flocking to see her body for themselves at the chapel at the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles in Gower, Missouri, as CBS noted.
With so much information about Lancaster spreading, the nuns published an explainer on their website to “clarify” some of the facts, including why the initial exhumation unfolded.
“Our Abbey had been planning the addition of a St. Joseph Shrine within the oratory for quite some time, including the reinterment of the remains of our beloved foundress, Sister Wilhelmina,” the explanation reads. “Last month, in preparation for the construction of the shrine, we exhumed her, having been told to expect bones in the highly moist clay of Missouri, as she was buried in a simple wooden coffin without any embalming whatsoever four years ago.”
The nuns said they intended to carry out all of these acts in “privacy,” though “the discovery of what appeared to be an intact body and a perfectly preserved religious habit created an unexpected twist” in their plans. As it turns out, a private email sent on the matter was posted publicly.
With news then quickly spreading, the nuns’ previously secret find became public.
“God works in mysterious ways, and we embrace His new plan for us,” the nuns wrote.
The typically quiet religious women said their lives have surprisingly not been monumentally impacted by the hordes of people flocking to the small town. They thanked the volunteers and local law enforcement members for helping keep order amid the chaos.
The nuns said they will allow the process to unfold to study what is happening to Lancaster’s body.
Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr., of The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph also put out a May 26 statement noting the “widespread interest” in the case is understandable and that important questions have been raised. Johnston said, “Visitors should not touch or venerate her body, or treat them as relics.”
He also encouraged prayer throughout the investigative process as interest continues to spread.
The faithful flocking to see the nun’s remains have certainly been captivated. Rita Cospelich of Blue Springs, Missouri, told WDAF-TV she felt the Lord while visiting.
“It just felt like the presence of God was there as soon as I went into the monastery. It’s a true miracle. I really think that,” she said. “God works in strange ways with miracles.”
While some see the lack of decomposition as a sign of a miracle, others aren’t so sure.
Dr. Rebecca George, an anthropology professor at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina, called the state of the body “typical” in light of the coffin and the clothing the nun wore during burial.
“When there is decreased oxygen flow, such as in a coffin, and in a cooler climate — such as the clay the coffin was in — could absolutely slow decomposition down,” she told CBS News. “The public rarely sees a human body at this stage of decomposition, so this is likely contributing to the interest we are seeing.”
Dr. Nicholas Passalacqua, an associate professor and director of forensic anthropology at Western Carolina University, agreed, noting he typically sees it take five years for a body to decompose into a skeletal form.
Still, others might point to a reported crack in the coffin and the purported appearance of mold to question just how sealed off and protected the environment could have been.
It will be interesting to see what unfolds as the case is further investigated.
***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***