Surely you have already heard of the various miracles that people claim to have experienced all over the world for hundreds of years. These extraordinary facts are most of the time associated with divine intervention and even if some remain mysterious, many of them could be explained over time. We’re still waiting to find out how to turn water into wine but it won’t be long, fingers crossed.
1. The “fasting girls” of the 19th century, those girls who survived without eating
In the 19th century, it was the fashion for young girls who starved themselves claiming to be able to survive without food because they had been touched by grace. The best known is Sarah Jacob, a pre-teen from Wales who was used by her parents to attract gullible believers who gave them lots of gifts. Sarah claimed not to have eaten anything for more than two years but when she was hospitalized and put under surveillance, she was no longer able to feed herself in secret. As her condition became critical, her parents refused to allow her to be fed and the child eventually died. Horrible.
2. The apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes
Do you know why the city of Lourdes is so famous for its miracles? It all started in 1958 when a 14-year-old girl who was collecting wood near the river said that she had seen the Virgin several times. For 15 consecutive days, the ghost returns to see her and this attracts more and more curious people and believers until rumors of cures appear.
Today, we know that this young girl suffered from asthma and certain plants, which turned out to be hallucinogenic, were used at the time to treat these symptoms. It would therefore be logical to think that these appearances were just the result of a good big trip.
3. The weeping statue in Sicily
In 1953, a miracle happened in the house of a couple in Syracuse: a statue of the Virgin wept human tears. For more than 40 years, everyone was convinced that it was a miracle, but an Italian researcher explained the phenomenon in 1995. In fact, plaster statues can absorb liquids which end up flowing through scratches in the material. A little too pragmatic.
4. The Miracle of the Sun at Fatima
In 1917, several tens of thousands of people witnessed what they thought was a miracle in Fátima, Portugal. According to people interviewed at the time, the sun swirled across the sky and swooped down on Earth as if to crush it before returning to its place. These people have probably seen the pretty sight of a parhelion: an optical phenomenon that gives the impression that the sun is multiplying and moving.
5. The Hindu milk-drinking statue in New Delhi
As with the story of the Weeping Virgin, the statue of Ganesh drinking milk in India has long been considered a miracle. Believers came from all over the country to admire the statue and give it milk, but by looking into the subject, specialists quickly realized that the stone absorbed the milk but later “spit it out” from below.
6. Water flowing from the crucifix in Mumbai
If certain miracles of the Bible (this big book a bit more boring than Harry Potter, still remain very mysterious) are still mysterious, there are more recent events which could be very easily explained. For example, the case of a crucifix in Mumbai with water dripping from its feet in 2011: everyone believed in a miracle and believers were not happy when someone discovered that a pipe was leaking behind the statue.
If you believe in miracles, don’t hesitate to pray for the salvation of our souls because the band of miscreants that we form risks ending up in the basement of hell.
Sources: Wikipedia (1) (2) (3) – scholar – Real Clear Science