For over 164 years, The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France has been linked to more than 70 medical miracles acknowledged by Catholic bishops. Around 4 million pilgrims visit Lourdes annually, drawn by tales of miraculous recoveries.
In 2022, CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker explored the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations. This facility is where renowned doctors and researchers delve into claims of cures. They work to distinguish the medically explainable from the inexplicable according to current knowledge.
During Whitaker’s visit, Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis led the office. The Harvard-trained epidemiologist and former pediatrician presided until February 2026. Since the 60 Minutes team visited in 2022, two additional miracles were recognized, raising the total acknowledged by the Catholic Church to 72.
Dr. de Franciscis emphasized the criteria for miracles by saying, “We are looking for a diagnosis of a severe disease with severe prognosis … in a complete way … instantly. There must be no possible explanation to that cure.”
The office’s rigorous evaluation distinguishes the recognized miracles from over 7,000 cure claims. Patients must agree to intense scrutiny of their cases.
The medical miracles at Lourdes have faced scrutiny for years. Some skeptics question the rigor of early investigations. However, nobody has conclusively challenged the office’s findings.
Lourdes’ Medical Miracle Evaluations
Dr. Esther Sternberg, a research director at the University of Arizona, studied Lourdes’ records. In 2014, her analysis affirmed the validity of the office’s conclusions. She noted improvements in diagnostic methods over time.
Dr. Sternberg told CBS in 2022, “As medical science progressed, the determination of unexplained cures advanced too. They kept adding evaluation layers, more diagnostic measures, and extended follow-ups.” Her findings in the Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences supported the office’s credibility.
While reviewing the story, producers Nichole Marks and John Gallen located four individuals whose recoveries were deemed miracles. Vittorio Micheli overcame osteosarcoma in 1963. Sister Luigina Traverso overcame paralysis in 1965. Delizia Cirolli’s knee tumor disappeared in 1976. Sister Bernadette Moriau recovered from Cauda Equina in 2008. All were free of disease in 2022.
Photos depicting these miracles are kept in the Sanctuary’s archive, illustrating the ongoing intrigue and faith surrounding Lourdes.
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