

某日休假的上午,無意間在國家地理頻道看到了關於不朽之身-「睡美人」聖女貝爾納黛特(St. Bernadette Soubirous)的特輯,這個報導顯然引發我高度的興趣與讚嘆於是開始搜查相關資料並在這裡與大家分享。想當然爾,這也成為我將來遊歷法國時的重要目標之一了。
以科學規律來說,人的心跳一旦停止,血液就會停滯,體內細胞會由於缺氧而在數分鐘之後死亡。外部環境會大大影響屍體腐爛的速度。人體通常在死後數天開始腐爛。腸道內的微生物開始從身體內部分解腹部,而叫做芽孢梭菌和大腸桿菌的細菌,則開始分解身體的其他部位。
腐壞的屍體通常會變綠,屍體釋放的某些物質與氣體會使皮膚膨脹、起泡,這種現象通常從腹部開始。幾週內,毛髮與指甲就會因為腐爛而脫落。約一個月後,身體組織開始液化。一年後,屍體多半只剩下骨架與牙齒,只有少數細胞組織還附著在骨架上。
天主教將"不朽之身"定義為"如同活人一般柔軟有彈性,不會腐爛"。聖女貝爾納黛特35歲逝世,1879年安葬。在她被封為聖徒之前,天主教會三次要求挖出她的遺體進行檢查。許多醫生、神父與名望之士目睹了各次挖掘的過程。貝爾納黛特.蘇畢胡的遺體並未腐朽,它逃過了肉身腐壞的自然規律。
如今,朝聖者湧到法國的訥韋爾,瞻仰安詳地躺在玻璃棺內的聖女遺容,親眼目睹她奇蹟般完美的容顏。她的故事也將許多現代科學家吸引到法國的訥韋爾,他們將對聖女貝爾納黛特的遺體進行研究。睡美人「不朽之身」之謎能否被揭開?
聖女貝爾納黛特已經去世了126年,但至今她依然栩栩如生。
貝爾納黛特.蘇畢胡是法國盧爾德的一名農村少女。14歲時,她第一次夢見了聖母馬利亞。後來又多次夢見她。不久,貝爾納黛特便離開家人,進入訥韋爾的修道院,也就是如今她的遺體所在之處。這名性格溫和的修女終生體弱多病,但她卻使周圍人經常感受到鼓舞。在天主教會正式封她為聖徒前,所有認識貝爾納黛特的人都認為她是聖人。
聖女貝爾納黛特35歲逝世,1879年安葬。在她被封為聖徒之前,天主教會三次要求挖出她的遺體進行檢查。許多醫生、神父與名望之士目睹了各次挖掘的過程。
在經過126年之後,遺體應該只剩下骨架。然而,聖女貝爾納黛特的每次出土記錄中都提到,儘管她手裡握的念珠已經生鏽,她的遺體卻保存得相當完好:皮膚柔軟而富有彈性,面容栩栩如生。
"皂化"現象可以使屍體容光煥發,睡美人身上是否發生了這種現象?
傑奎琳.泰勒,馬薩諸塞州波士頓郊外的芒特艾達學院喪葬服務教育教授。她除了從事喪葬服務教育,同時也是享譽國際的遺體修復與保存專家。
傑奎琳說:"在我對不朽之身的研究過程中,最讓人著迷的,就是聖女貝爾納黛特。她栩栩如生,是保存最完好的不朽之身。"
保羅.波契提,意大利特異現象調查委員會成員。他和導師路易吉.加拉切利(一位名聲不大好的意大利有機化學家)一起調查過許多所謂的靈異現象,因此許多信徒對他很是反感。應傑奎琳的要求,保羅將和她一起調查不朽之身,並為它們拍照。
保羅相信,某些不朽之身可能被信徒暗中做過防腐處理。埋葬的環境會影響腐壞速度,濕熱環境會加快屍體腐爛。然而,並非所有的不朽之身都經過防腐保存,或是葬在穩定的環境中。
保羅發現,另一個因素也能使遺體保持完整。
傑奎琳說:"在屍體分解過程中會發生一種現象,就是所謂的『皂化』,也就是身體的脂肪轉化為『屍蠟』,這是一種蠟一樣的黏稠物質。"
簡而言之,體內脂肪轉化為某種肥皂,使得肌膚豐腴、容光煥發。皂化有其神秘之處。科學家還不瞭解,是什麼促使體內脂肪轉化為類似肥皂的物質的。有人認為應該是化學與地理條件的共同作用。
傑奎琳說:"皂化"妙就妙在它並不是隨處可見的現象,它應該是遺體內外因素的結
十字架項鍊上的銅鏽表示空氣與濕氣鑽進了棺木,但為何遺體沒有腐爛?
傑奎琳和保羅來到法國的訥韋爾,他們對聖女貝爾納黛特的遺體進行了研究,許多謎題無法解釋。聖女貝爾納黛特不是風乾的木乃伊,也沒有因為皂化而腫脹滑膩。也許更深入的研究才能解開謎底。
科學家們決定繼續探究謎團,而睡美人靜靜躺在金邊玻璃棺中,秘密仍然埋藏在莊嚴的微笑之後。這微笑已經保持了126年多。她的遺體將過去與現在連接在一起,她是溫和與謙恭的楷模。
聖女貝爾納黛特的秘密,遠遠超越肉眼所見的完美外表。傑奎琳要求保羅查閱一下文獻記錄。某些段落或許可以提供答案,但保羅查閱了文獻記錄後,睡美人秘密仍然籠罩在重重迷霧之中。三次挖出遺體的報告中都說,聖女貝爾納黛特的遺體保存得相當完好。
"交錯在胸前的雙手很完美。""毫無屍體腐爛的氣味。"醫生的結論是聖女貝爾納黛特的遺體完好無損。 "美麗的雙手握著一串生鏽的念珠,胸口上的十字架上也佈滿了銅鏽。"
十字架項鍊上有銅鏽,表示空氣與濕氣鑽進了棺木。為何惟獨遺體沒有腐爛呢?聖女貝爾納黛特美麗的遺容引導千百萬人堅定了信仰。其完好的狀況被視為奇蹟,然而,科學家們卻另有看法。
科學家雖然揭開了聖女青春面容的秘密,然而其不朽之身仍然是一個謎團。
傑奎琳說:「我認為後人曾經用蠟修復過遺體,可能用的是模具,或者是出於某位技藝精湛的雕刻師的手筆。如今我們看到的聖女貝爾納黛特應該是蠟模,也就是遺容的面具。蠟模不見得是藝術品,只是完全相同的複製品,帶有皺紋,具有皮膚的質感。」
保羅在研究文獻資料時,發現了一段特別有意思的文字。這段文字指出,第三次挖出聖女遺體時,人們拓制了面具,並用這些拓製品製作了一個蠟製面具。傑奎琳似乎說中了。
儘管兩位科學家可能已經揭開了聖女青春面容的秘密,然而,貝爾納黛特不朽之身的其他謎團,或許將永遠無法解開。
其中最讓人震驚的是,第三次挖出遺體時,有個醫生在報告中指出,聖女貝爾納黛特的骨架保存非常完好,肌肉"結實而有彈性",肝臟"柔軟",而且「軟硬程度幾乎正常」。他指出這種情況似乎並不是自然現象。
關於這一點,科學似乎無法提供解釋。傑奎琳說:"我們得出的結論,有些也只是猜測而已。關於不朽之身,還有許多問題無法解釋。"
聖女伯爾納德的故事:http://city.udn.com/51675/1661256?tpno=0&cate_no=52479The Sleeping Beauty : St. Bernadette SoubirousI'm always inerested by mystery stories. Once I was watching National Geographic channel and they are talking about "St. Bernadette Soubirous" - The Sleeping Beauty's story. The topic definitely cause my interested so after that I searched some info. to share with you through here, and of course Nevers will be one of my goal when I travel to France in future.
St. Bernadette Soubirous born to a very poor family on January 7, 1844, she suffered severely from asthma and was such a poor student she was delayed from making her First Holy Communion until 1858, when she was 14. On February 11 of that year, the first of her visions took place as she was gathering firewood along the river Gave. This drama is known to most Catholics as the Apparition at Lourdes.
On March 25, 1858, the Blessed Virgin appeared for the last time and identified herself as the "Immaculate Conception." With these words the Mother of God confirmed the pious belief which Pope Pius IX, 4 years earlier, had raised to the dignity of a dogma of the infallible Church.
The Sisters of Nevers, who operated a school at Lourdes, were later entrusted with Bernadette's care, and when she was 22, was admitted to their order. She spent the rest of her days there, a short distance from Lourdes. After suffering heroically for years from tuberculosis of the bone in the right knee, including several complications, she died a holy death on April 15, 1879.
The body was first exhumed 30 years after her death. On September 2, 1909, in the presence of representatives appointed by the postulators of the cause, 2 doctors, and the sister of the community, the coffin was removed by workmen from the place where it was intombed. On opening the lid, they discerned no odor and the virginal body lay exposed, completly victorious over the laws of nature.
The arms and face were completly unaffected from corruption and had maintained their natural skin tone. The teeth were barely visible through her slightly parted lips. The rosary in her hands had become rusty, and the crucifix was coated with verdigris.
The sisters, with the best of intentions, thoroughly washed the body and reclothed it in a new religious habit before placing it in a new casket. After the official documents pertaining to the exhumation were placed beside the body, and the double casket officially sealed, the remains were again placed in the tomb.
The second exhumation took place at the end of the Process on April 3, 1919. The body of the Venerable was found in the same state of preservation as 10 years earlier, except that the face was slightly discolored, due to the washing it had undergone during the first exhumation. A worker in wax who was experienced in such duties applied a coating to the face of the Saint who had been dead 40 years.
This sacred relic was placed in a coffin of gold and glass and can be viewed in the Chapel of Saint Bernadette at the motherhouse in Nevers.
About St. Bernadette Soubirous :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYtoAyDiqn4&feature=relatedhttp://www.marypages.com/bernadetteEng.htmSt. Bernadette Soubirous at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernadette_Soubirous