Pope John XXIII — 'Remarkably Well Preserved,' Not Miraculous

Exhumation and First Impressions

Pope John XXIII died in June 1963 and was interred in the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica. In March 2001, Pope John Paul II ordered his exhumation to move the body to a more accessible location for pilgrims. When the inner casket was opened, Cardinal Noe described the face as "intact and serene," bearing features that "immediately called to mind that familiar appearance of the venerated pontiff."

The Vatican's Own Explanation

The Vatican Information Service never used the words "miraculous" or "incorrupt" in its reporting. Its headline read only: "Body of Blessed John XXIII is Remarkably Well Preserved." The Vatican noted that John XXIII's body had been treated with formalin for the extended public lying-in-state following his death in 1963, and that Prof. Gennaro Golia had subsequently applied his own proprietary preservation technique. The body was then hermetically sealed in multiple coffins.

Multiple Converging Preservatives

Formalin (formaldehyde solution) is a standard and highly effective embalming agent. Combined with hermetic sealing — which eliminates the oxygen and microbial exposure that drive decomposition — and a second proprietary treatment, the Vatican created near-ideal preservation conditions. The 37-year result is good but not extraordinary by conservation standards.

Where This Lands

This case shows how the incorruptibility narrative can grow in popular Catholic culture even when the institutional Church actively contradicts it. The Vatican's own statements are the strongest evidence against a supernatural explanation.