Exhumation
On December 2016 the remains of Father Augustus Tolton were exhumed from his grave at St. Peter Cemetery in Quincy, Illinois. The exhumation is part of the canonical process for canonization with the purpose of verifying the person existed and to ensure that the remains are well preserved. The exhumation also determines if the body is “incorrupt.” In the church’s history there are saints’ bodies—like St. Clare of Assisi and St. Pio of Pietrelcina — that haven’t decomposed and are “incorrupt.” The church views this as miracle and a sign of holiness.
For the official report on Father Tolton’s exhumation, please click here.