Lourdes’ Medical Miracles: An Examination of Unexplained Cures

Over the past 164 years, more than 70 medical miracles have been recognized by bishops of the Catholic church at The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France. Annually, about 4 million pilgrims travel to this small town, drawn by stories of miraculous recoveries.

In 2022, correspondent Bill Whitaker reported for CBS News on the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations. Here, top doctors and researchers investigate claims of cures, assessing which cases remain unexplained by current medical knowledge. At the time, Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis led the office until his tenure ended in February 2026. Two miracles were recognized since the CBS team’s visit, pushing the total to 72.

Dr. de Franciscis described the evaluation process: “We look for a diagnosis indicating a severe condition with a poor prognosis,” he explained. “The cure must be sudden, complete, lasting, and without any possible explanation.” Out of over 7,000 claims, only 72 have such compelling evidence to be deemed miracles. This requires extensive medical documentation and a willingness of patients to share their lives publicly.

The rigorous scrutiny of these miracle cases dates back decades. Though skeptics argue past medical science lacked rigor, no one has debunked the conclusions. Dr. Esther Sternberg, a leading mind-body scholar, examined the reliability of Lourdes’ records, with findings published in 2014. She observed, “As medical science advanced, so did the criteria for unexplained cures, with more layers of evaluation added.” Her analysis deemed the office’s conclusions credible.

Whitaker’s team spoke with four living individuals recognized for miraculous recoveries. In 1963, Vittorio Micheli recovered from hip osteosarcoma. Sister Luigina Traverso overcame near-total paralysis in 1965. Delizia Cirolli’s knee tumor vanished in 1976. Sister Bernadette Moriau was cured of Cauda Equina in 2008. In 2022, all were in good health, free from their original ailments.

The initial report appeared on December 18, 2022, produced by Keith Zubrow and edited by Sarah Shafer Prediger. Photos courtesy of the Lourdes Archives include images of Micheli and Sister Traverso.