RESURRECTIONS

• Maria Battesini, 56, appeared to have died in Milan on 26 January 1923. The next day, her coffin lid was being fastened down when she suddenly revived and sat up. Priests fled, relatives became hysterical, and doctors were summoned. NY Times, 28 Jan 1923.

• Laid out with a crucifix and rosary on her breast, a 98-year-old widow from Duisberg in Germany terrified mourners assembled for her funeral on 16 October 1928 by sitting up just as her coffin was about to be closed. She looked around in astonishment and then voiced her indignation over the fact that she had almost been buried alive. She was thought to have died two days earlier. NY Times, 17 Oct 1928.

• Acuna Castillo, 22, from Los Angeles in the Chilean province of Biobío, had apparently been dead for two days when she stirred in her coffin, moved her arms and head and in a quiet voice said: “Please give me a glass of water”. It was three hours before she was due to be buried. A physician diagnosed a case of prolonged catalepsy. [AP] NY Times, 16 Mar 1931.

• During the funeral of a peasant named Todor in the village cemetery of Drenoff in Bulgaria on 20 March 1931, the Orthodox priest declared in his graveside oration that the deceased had desired all his property to go to the church, whereupon his relatives voiced angry protests. In the midst of the dispute, a noise of splintering wood accompanied by groans arose from the open grave. The lid broke and Todor sat up. The priest and relatives fled from the scene, but later returned and carried Todor back to his cottage. NY Times, 12 April 1931.

• As the funeral of merchant Vassile Schiller was in progress in Bucharest on 30 September 1931, the lid of the coffin splintered and was forced up. To the horror of the congregation, the ‘dead’ man sat up in his grave clothes and called for help. Women fainted and men ran from the church. Calm was finally restored and Schiller, who had been in some kind of trance, completely recovered. NY Times, 18 Oct 1931.