Every year, thousands of people flock to an abbey’s church in Missouri to visit the body of a nun.
It may sound like a slightly strange holiday plan to go to the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles’ church in Gower, Missouri, to stare at a dead body, but there’s a gob-smacking reason why so many pilgrims decide to make the trek to see the remains of Sister Mary Wilhelmina Lancaster in particular.
In 1995, at the age of 70, Sister Lancaster founded Benedictine order of nuns the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.
In 1995, at the age of 70, Sister Lancaster founded Benedictine order of nuns the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.
Sadly, in 2019, Sister Lancaster passed away aged 95 and was buried at the monastery.
She lay there for four years, however, in 2023, plans arose to move her remains under the altar in the chapel to make way for a new shrine to St Joseph.
It was then – four years since the sister’s burial – when the other nuns made a shocking discovery.
Sister Scholastica, prioress of the abbey, told El Pais: “When we unearthed it, the coffin had a crack, through which the abbess and I could see one of the feet was still intact.
“Also surprising was the pristine state of the habit, when the lining of the coffin had disintegrated.”
To the nuns’ astonishment, they discovered Sister Lancaster’s body showed little signs of decomposition despite not having been embalmed and having been lying in the ground in a simple for four years.
Sister Scholastica resolved: “We interpret it as a message from God: he wants Wilhelmina to continue with her religious work.”