Lourdes Miracles: 72 Confirmed, Investigations Continue

For over 164 years, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France has been the site of more than 70 recognized medical miracles by the Catholic Church. Approximately 4 million pilgrims visit this sacred site annually, many hoping for or inspired by accounts of miraculous healing.

The Lourdes Office of Medical Observations, overseen by Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis until February 2026, rigorously investigates reported cures. This process involves world-renowned doctors and researchers who spend years examining cases to determine if a recovery can be explained by current medical science. Cases are only considered potential miracles if they involve severe diseases with grim prognoses and result in sudden, complete, and lasting cures with no possible medical explanation.

Since the 60 Minutes team visited in 2022, two additional medical miracles have been officially recognized, bringing the total to 72. These verified miracles are distinguished from the thousands of other claimed cures by extensive medical documentation and the patient's willingness to undergo intense scrutiny. Skepticism regarding historical medical rigor persists, but no conclusions from the Lourdes office have been disproven.

Dr. Esther Sternberg, a scholar on the mind-body connection, analyzed the reliability of Lourdes' medical records, finding the office's evaluations to be credible and their methods to have progressed with advancing medical science. The article highlighted four individuals—Vittorio Micheli, Sister Luigina Traverso, Delizia Cirolli, and Sister Bernadette Moriau—whose recoveries from severe conditions were recognized as miracles and who remain healthy as of their 2022 interviews.