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Can you be cured at Lourdes?

article published on 26/03/2025 in the category : Our Lady of Lourdes
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Lourdes is recognised worldwide as a place of healing, where millions of pilgrims go every year to pray, hope for physical or spiritual cures, and find deep comfort. The question of whether it is truly possible to heal at Lourdes is a complex one, involving faith, spirituality and science.

Miraculous cures recognised

Since the first apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, Lourdes has become a place where pilgrims come in search of healing. The shrine has been the scene of numerous cures considered "miraculous" by the Catholic Church. To date, around 70 cures have been officially recognised as miraculous by the Church after rigorous investigations by the Lourdes Medical Bureau. This office, founded in 1883, is made up of doctors and scientists who examine cases of healing to determine whether they are medically inexplicable.

Spiritual healing and comfort

For the majority of pilgrims, even if there is no physical healing, Lourdes remains a place of spiritual healing. Many report a profound sense of peace, comfort and inner renewal after their visit. The rituals associated with Lourdes, such as praying at the grotto of Massabielle, immersing in the pools of spring water, and participating in the sacraments, offer pilgrims a space to release their suffering and reconnect with their faith.

This spiritual healing can manifest itself in greater inner strength, an acceptance of illness or hardship, or a calming of emotional torment. For many believers, this new-found peace is, in itself, a form of healing.

Faith as a vehicle for healing

One of the central beliefs surrounding Lourdes is that healing, whether physical or spiritual, is above all a matter of faith. The water of Lourdes, in particular, is seen as a powerful symbol of purification and healing. Pilgrims who bathe in the pools or drink the water do so with the hope and conviction that their prayer will be answered. This deep faith is often seen as a catalyst for healing, transcending traditional medicine.

A rigorous discernment process

Any healing declared at Lourdes cannot immediately be described as miraculous. The process of recognising a miraculous cure is long and rigorous. Each case must go through several stages of scientific and theological examination. Doctors, whether believers or not, must first confirm that the healing is inexplicable from a medical point of view. Then the Church carries out a spiritual discernment to check whether the healing can be attributed to divine intervention.

Lourdes, a place of solidarity with the sick

Beyond the miracles, Lourdes is also a place where solidarity with the sick is palpable. Every year, many organised pilgrimages are specially dedicated to the sick and disabled, who are at the heart of the spiritual experience of Lourdes. They come not only to hope for a cure, but also to experience a moment of sharing and comfort surrounded by their loved ones and volunteers.

Can you be cured at Lourdes? For some, the answer is yes, through physical cures recognised as miraculous. For others, the healing is spiritual or emotional, bringing peace and comfort. Lourdes remains a place where hope, faith and solidarity come together, offering pilgrims a space to find some form of healing, whatever its nature.

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