Stigma is a word with different meanings. It can refer to the appearance of spontaneous marks or wounds, similar to those suffered by Jesus Christ at his crucifixion, in a person, generally very religious. Similarly, in sociology, stigmas are the series of characteristics, beliefs or behaviors that cause the categorization, by society, of an individual. Some authors affirm that, in the process of social reaction to personal properties, the normal identity of the individual is spoiled or modified in some way, causing them to adapt to imposed stereotypes and isolation.
In the Christian concept, the stigma is taken as a miracle; These wounds appear on the wrists, ankles, the left side, and on the back, in the likeness of Jesus. These can be of divine order or by diabolical interventions and are characterized by being incurable, that is to say, no treatment known to medical science has been able, until now, to heal stigmata wounds. Throughout history many cases have appeared, but those of San Francisco de Asís and Gema Galgani stand out. With regard to social stigmas, it should be noted that, in an attempt to dehumanize a person, stigmatized individuals are subjected to insults, discrimination, attacks and even acts of high violence.
In biology we can also find meanings for "stigma". In botany, it is the name given to a certain area of flowers, where pollen is deposited. In the anatomical structure of insects, this is how they are called a series of openings through which the respiratory system is connected and ventilation is carried out. It is also used to refer to certain cinematographic films, such as Stigmata, an American horror film, released in 1999, in which the story of a young, non-believing woman is told, who upon receiving the rosary from an important Brazilian priest, begins to experience the torture that Jesus suffered at his crucifixion.
