The Catholic Church has recognized 72 medical miracles at The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France, with two new cases added since 2022. These miracles have been verified by the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations, which conducts decade-long investigations into claims of cures.
The office, overseen by Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis until February 2026, uses strict criteria to determine which cases can be medically explained and which cannot. Dr. de Franciscis explained that the office looks for a diagnosis of a severe disease with a severe prognosis, and then verifies that the person was cured suddenly and completely, with no possible explanation for the cure.
Lourdes Medical Miracles
Over 7,000 claims of cures have been recorded at Lourdes, but only 72 have been recognized as miracles by the Catholic Church. The medical cases classified as miracles have been scrutinized for decades, with skeptics questioning the rigor of medical science in the late 1800s. However, no one has been able to disprove the conclusions of the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations.
Dr. Esther Sternberg, a leading scholar on the mind-body connection, analyzed the reliability of the Lourdes medical records and found the office’s conclusions to be credible. She noted that the office has added layers of evaluation and diagnostic measures over the years, making their determinations more rigorous.
Living Miracles
Four living people whose cases have been recognized as miracles were tracked down by the producing team of Nichole Marks and John Gallen. These individuals, including Vittorio Micheli and Sister Luigina Traverso, reported being healthy and free of their original diseases in 2022. Their cases, along with the others, demonstrate the significance of the Lourdes medical miracles and the rigorous process used to verify them.
The recognition of these medical miracles has broader implications for our understanding of the relationship between faith and healing. As the Catholic Church continues to verify these cases, it highlights the enduring power of faith and the human spirit, inspiring millions of pilgrims to visit Lourdes each year.
