For more than a century, the Catholic Church has acknowledged over 70 medical miracles linked to The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, located in southern France. Each year, approximately 4 million pilgrims flock to this small town, drawn by the tales of miraculous recoveries. In 2022, correspondent Bill Whitaker reported on the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations, where leading researchers conduct lengthy investigations into numerous cure claims. Their task is to discern which cases can be clarified through current medical understanding and which remain mysterious.
While in Lourdes, Whitaker encountered Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis, who led the office until February 2026. Dr. de Franciscis, a former pediatrician and Harvard-trained epidemiologist, emphasized that cases deemed miraculous meet rigorous criteria, including a severe diagnosis, a sudden and lasting recovery, and an absence of medical explanation.
Since 2022, the Catholic Church has recognized two additional medical miracles at Lourdes, bringing the total to 72. These miracles are differentiated from over 7,000 reported cure claims through extensive documentation and the willingness of patients to endure detailed scrutiny. Despite skepticism regarding past medical practices, the office’s conclusions remain undisputed.
Dr. Esther Sternberg, an expert in the mind-body connection, examined Lourdes’ medical records with peers and published her assessment in 2014. She noted that as diagnostic science advanced, so did methods to evaluate unexplained recoveries. Her analysis affirmed the credibility of the Lourdes Office’s conclusions.
In their 2022 investigation, producers Nichole Marks and John Gallen interviewed four individuals whose healings were classified as miracles. Among them, Vittorio Micheli recovered from hip osteosarcoma in 1963, Sister Luigina Traverso overcame near total paralysis in 1965, Delizia Cirolli’s knee tumor vanished in 1976, and Sister Bernadette Moriau was cured of a spinal disorder in 2008. All reported continued health free from their initial ailments.
Photos of Vittorio Micheli and Sister Traverso were provided by the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes Archives.