Why is Saint Padre Pio's body considered incorruptible? Kuya Kim explains

September 23 marks the feast day of Saint Padre Pio, an Italian priest who is known for his piety and charity.

He is one of the many incorruptible saints of the Catholic Church—meaning, his body is somehow preserved after death. The Church believes this is a sign of holiness.

Why did his remains defy the natural process of decomposition? On Friday's "24 Oras," Kuya Kim spoke to experts to explain the phenomenon.

"Lahat ng [all of] incorruptible bodies of more than a hundred saints is considered a miracle," said Fr. Francis Lucas, the president and CEO of Catholic Media Network.

For physicist Percival Almoro, however, there is likely a scientific explanation.

"Malaki 'yung posibilidad na prineserba siya sa isang lalagyan na hindi na siya mahahawaan ng mga mikrobyo. Ito ay nakakatulong upang mapabagal o mapahinto o pag agnas ng katawan," he said.

("There's a big possibility that the body is preserved in a container where it is protected from contamination of microorganisms. This helps to slow down or stop the decomposition of the body.")

Padre Pio is also known for the stigmata marks on his hands, just like Jesus Christ's wounds.

Padre Pio's incorrupt heart relic was taken to the Philippines for the first time in 2018. The first class relic remains whole five decades after Padre Pio's death.

—MGP, GMA News