The miracles : from inexplicable healing to the miracle recognised by the Church

Table of contents :

1- The different stages in the recognition of a miracle

2- The Office of Medical Examinations of Lourdes

3- The investigation of the International Medical Committee of Lourdes

4- The Church as the final step

5- The most remarkable miracles of Lourdes

6- Some statistics on the miracles of Lourdes

7- The first miracle of Lourdes in 1858

8- The youngest miracle-worker of Lourdes

9- The longest miracle to be recognised

10- The last miracle worker, Sister Bernadette Moriau

11- Questions raised by the miracles of Lourdes

12- Why this French specificity? The historical context

13- The literature fascinated by Lourdes

14- The opinions of the last two permanent doctors of the "Bureau of Miracles

Since 1858, when the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, Lourdes has attracted a large number of pilgrims of and the first inexplicable healings have occurred. Given the fervour, the crowds and the phenomenon of healings, the Catholic authorities had to deal with the issue very quickly.

Very quickly, meetings of religious and doctors jointly examined these healings. Today, a very strict protocol is observed for each miracle proclaimed, involving first the medical sector and only then the religious authorities.

It is interesting to note that Lourdes is the only place of pilgrimage in the world, regardless of religion, that has entrusted the validation of its miracles to the medical world.

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The different stages in the recognition of a miracle

The medical examination office in Lourdes.

Despite its name, this office is not in charge of the direct medical examination of pilgrims and visitors to Lourdes. Its role is to investigate unexplained cures occurring in the town of apparitions. It consists of a permanently responsible doctor and all the volunteer medical and paramedical professionals who were present in Lourdes at the time of the unexplained healing in question.

The process of recognising miracles takes several years. About thirty-five files a year are sent to the Lourdes Medical Office.

For each dossier, all the medical examinations, notes and tests that may have been carried out on the patient before and after the alleged cure are examined. While most dossiers are quickly rejected, three to five are retained for further investigation. This resulted in the formation of a new office, which was called the International Medical Committee of Lourdes: the CMIL.

The investigation of the International Medical Committee of Lourdes

This committee is made up of some twenty experts of various nationalities, medical disciplines and religious beliefs. Each detail of the dossier is reviewed by one or more members of the Medical Office of the CMIL. Generally, this review takes between five and twelve years. In some cases, however, it has taken much longer: up to 54 years.

The following is a list of facts that must be established for a cure to be recognised as medically unexplained:

- the diagnosis before the cure must be confirmed beyond doubt,

- the diagnosis must be considered incurable by current means,

- the cure must be associated with a visit to Lourdes,

- the cure must be immediate,

- it must be complete,

- it must be permanent.

Once the case has been studied in detail, the CMIL votes. In the event of a two-thirds majority, the cure is declared medically unexplained. The case is then passed on to the Church.

The Church as the final step

The bishop of the diocese in which the cured person lives takes charge of the case. This bishop, in consultation with his experts and the Vatican, will decide whether the healing is miraculous or not.

The most remarkable miracles in Lourdes

Since 1858, 7,500 unexplained healings have been reported and 70 miracles have been recognised.

Some statistics on the miracles of Lourdes

The vast majority of miracles are performed by women. Most of the miracle-workers are French, followed by Italians, Belgians and Germans.

In the last century, miraculous healings were mainly due to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, rheumatism and paralysis. Today, most of the diseases recognised as miracle cures are cancers, chronic diseases and autoimmune diseases.

The first miracle of Lourdes in 1858

On the night of 28th February to 1st March 1858, Catherine Latapie, who had been paralysed in her right hand for two years after a fall, got up in the middle of the night to walk to Lourdes. After dipping her hand into the basin Bernadette had just cleaned, following the Virgin Mary's injunction, she regained the use of her hand. This miracle was officially recognised by the Church in 1862.

The youngest miracle worker

From birth, Justin Bouhort was a weak and sick child. At the age of two, he could not yet walk and suffered from 'consumption sickness' (also called tuberculosis). After a doctor's diagnosis gave him only a few hours to live, Justin's mother decided to take him to the grotto of Lourdes. Despite opposition from bystanders at the site, Justin's courageous mother prayed in front of the rock and soaked her son in water for fifteen minutes. After a deep sleep, the child woke up the next day full of life and took his first steps. Justin lived in good health as an adult, but died in a terrible accident.

The longest miracle to be recognised

The longest miracle to be recognised was for the Italian Anna Santaniello, who was freed from her ailments after a pilgrimage in 1952. She was not recognised as a miracle worker until 53 years later, in 2005. During her trip to Lourdes, she suffered from a heart disease caused by rheumatic fever. This caused her shortness of breath and swelling in her legs. She could only walk with great difficulty and was taken on a stretcher to the pools of Lourdes on 19 August 1952. After the bath, she was on her feet again.

The next day, the doctors present noticed the disappearance of signs of heart failure and the patient's sudden recovery. It was only in July 1963 that the recognition of an extraordinary healing came, and then in November 2005 the miracle was recognised.

The last miracle worker, Sister Bernadette Moriau

The seventieth and last miracle recognised by the Church is the healing of a nun, Sister Bernadette Moriau. In 2008, at the age of 69, she was suffering from a severe disability. She returned home with all her physical faculties. This healing was recognised as miraculous by the Bishop of Beauvais on 11 February 2018.

Questions raised by the miracles of Lourdes

Why this French specificity? The historical context

Let us remember that the first apparitions to Bernadette my God in 1858 in a century in which anticlericalism was on the rise while the sciences were becoming more and more of a reference.

In this context, it was necessary for the Church to join forces with doctors to determine the miraculous nature of the healings. Indeed, it had to be shown that the return of the sick to full health could not be explained scientifically. Without the help of medicine, the miracles of Lourdes would probably not have had such an international impact.

The literature fascinated by Lourdes

From the first apparitions in Lourdes until today, what happens in the sanctuary leaves no one indifferent. Whether you are a believer or not, you will certainly be touched by the fervour that reigns around the sanctuary.

Many writers have testified to the atmosphere of faith, fervour and the supernatural at Lourdes. Zola, Huysmans, Mauriac, Christian or not, each of them was captured by the overwhelming and fascinating atmosphere of faith that reigned at Lourdes. Numerous titles by these and other writers will immerse you in the extraordinary atmosphere of Lourdes.

The opinions of the last two permanent doctors of the "Bureau of Miracles"

Dr Theillier, also known as "the doctor of miracles", was appointed head of the Lourdes Bureau in 1998. He worked there until 2009. During these eleven years he identified ten unexplained healings, two of which were later recognised as miraculous healings by the Church. These unexplained healings and miracles are each time for him "a sign and an act of God's love".

He regrets that traditional medicine maintains a strong dualism between the body and the spirit. On the other hand, he is happy to see the development of psychosomatic approaches. A Catholic and a scientist, he has written several books in which he tries to understand the interactions between science and faith.

His successor, Alessandro de Franciscis, humorously presents himself as 'the most useless doctor in the world' because all 'his patients' have already been cured! When questioned, he always emphasises the scientific method of investigation used to recognise an inexplicable cure. These two doctors, like all those involved in the process of recognising unexplained cures, speak primarily from their scientific background. However, they are fascinated by the experiences they witness.

The miracles of Lourdes are therefore not very frequent because the Church is very cautious about their recognition. However, they contribute to the fervour that reigns around the sanctuary and the site's worldwide fame.

Prayer for the miracles of Lourdes

Lord, we come to you to thank you for the many miracles that have taken place at Lourdes.

We thank you for the physical and spiritual healing you have given to so many who have sought your help.

We thank you for your infinite love and mercy which has been manifested through these miracles. We ask you to continue to bless Lourdes and to protect this holy place.

We ask you to guide all pilgrims who come to Lourdes, and to give them the strength and peace they seek.

We ask you to bless the doctors and scientists who study the healings at Lourdes, and to help them understand your healing power. We thank you for all the blessings you have given us through the miracles of Lourdes and we entrust our lives and health to you.


Amen