A Thorough Validation Process
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes has officially declared the healing of Antonietta Raco as its 72nd miracle. This recognition comes just four months after the proclamation of the previous miracle, corresponding to an English soldier healed in 1923. The case of Raco, a 67-year-old Italian woman, culminates a meticulous process that began in 2009 and concluded in November 2024, combining scientific scrutiny and ecclesiastical discernment.
Medical History and Decisive Pilgrimage
Antonietta Raco had suffered from severe migraines since 2004, followed by cramps, asthenia, and difficulty walking. In 2006, specialists from the Department of Neurosciences at the University of Turin diagnosed her with Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS). Her condition progressively worsened, presenting dysphagia, dysarthria, tetraparesis, and reduced respiratory capacity. In the summer of 2009, she participated in a pilgrimage to Lourdes organized by UNITALSI. After visiting the sanctuary’s pools, she reported feeling unusual well-being and regaining the ability to walk. Medical examinations conducted in August and September of that same year confirmed the complete disappearance of all symptoms.
The Rigorous Path to the Declaration of a Miracle
The Sanctuary’s Medical Bureau analyzed the case in five sessions held between 2012 and 2017. Subsequently, an observation period was opened to validate the international consensus on the PLS diagnosis, updated in 2020 and ratified in 2024. Finally, the International Medical Committee of Lourdes (CMIL) voted affirmatively on the question of whether the healing was «unexpected, complete, lasting, and unexplained according to current medical knowledge.» Once the medical process concluded, the canonical phase began. The bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes informed the bishop of the diocese where Mrs. Raco resides, Tursi-Lagonegro, who has proceeded with the official proclamation of the miracle.
Original source: alfayomega.es (published on April 21, 2025)
Photo: JOSE SIMON on Unsplash
