Blinkin’ spooky!
Could a 300-year-old corpse be watching us?
During a visit to a Mexican cathedral, a tourist decided to video the exhibits on his mobile phone. But, during filming, the corpse of young, long-dead Santa Inocencia (St Innocence) opened her eyes and looked straight into the camera…
The story of Santa Inocencia begins over 300 years ago. There are two interpretations to her sad tale. But most historians believe Inocencia was a young, Roman girl, who was born in Mexico in the 1700s. Legend has it that schoolgirl Inocencia had listened to classmates talking about receiving their First Holy Communion. Intrigued, she wanted to participate in the religious ceremony, too. Only, when she confided in her father about her desire to convert to Catholicism, he hit her, and forbade her from taking part in what he called ‘such nonsense’. Still, Inocencia was drawn to the faith. She hid outside catechism classes, where children were being taught the doctrine, listening in. A nun found her and secretly befriended her, encouraging her to take Holy Communion.
‘Better to have the good as ally than evil,’ the nun told her.
When the day of Inocencia’s First Holy Communion came round, the nun presented her with a white lace dress to wear.
Then she took the Eucharist at Guadalajara Cathedral, against her father’s wishes.
Afterwards, an overjoyed Inocencia bounced home, and went to tell her father. She eventually found him in the kitchen, where she broke what she regarded as her good news. But her father exploded with rage, furious that she’d disobeyed him.
He grabbed a knife and plunged it into his child’s chest, then fled the scene.
Horrified neighbours found Inocencia’s lifeless body.
The locals considered her a martyr, so took her back to Guadalajara Cathedral where she’d so happily taken the holy sacrament.
There, ‘Santa Inocencia’ was laid to rest in peace.
Her corpse was preserved in wax, so her youthful beauty would never fade.
Some believe her body was sent to Rome to be buried in the Santa Ciriaca catacombs.
In 1786, her mummified corpse, still wearing her First Holy Communion gown, was found and exhumed by a wealthy priest.
He had it transported back to the Guadalajara Cathedral.
Whatever brought Santa Inocencia to the Cathedral, her eerily lifelike corpse is still on display there.
Wearing her original white Communion dress, after 300
Her father forbade her from taking part in ‘such nonsense’
years, her hands appear wizened and decomposed, yet, spookily, her face is perfectly preserved and youthful.
It was there in the Cathedral, in 2012, that the captivated tourist took the video of beautiful Inocencia, with the long, flowing, red hair.
It’s said that the person who made the video admired her, then moved on to the next exhibit.
And that it was only once back home, viewing the film with family, that they noticed something that made their hair stand on end.
It was footage of Inocencia, clearly opening her eyes, staring into the camera.
And blinking.
Was it a miracle? A sign from Inocencia? Nobody knew. But the spine-tingling video soon went viral.
Some claimed the paranormal event was nothing more than a hoax.
Yet the Cardinal of Guadalajara, Juan Francisco Robles, doesn’t believe any such thing. In fact, he claimed this wasn’t the first supernatural event surrounding the impeccably preserved corpse.
Cardinal Robles said, ‘This beatified saint is known for making miracles, and this is just one of the many.’
Now, believers from all over the world flock to see the mysterious corpse of Santa Inocencia.
So, if you find yourself in Mexico visiting Guadalajara Cathedral, keep your own eyes peeled.
Santa Inocencia may just be watching you…
For more weird, wonderful or downright scary stories, go to www.lifedeathprizes.com/spooky-stuff
She clearly opened her eyes and stared into the camera