There were tens of thousands of miracles recorded in the Middle Ages. A study of St.Bernardino of Siena found that at least 2447 miracles were attributed to him alone! These miracles could be to heal various ailments, protect a person from danger, punish a wrong-doer, provide a vision, or even help someone escape a prison.
The reason we know of so many miracles is that church officials needed to record them when deciding if someone was to deemed a saint – you needed to have performed some miracles, during or after your lifetime. Some popular saints would see pilgrims flocking to their shrines, hoping for a cure, and the churches were very happy to promote the healing abilities of their saints.
While most miracles were typical stories of healing or assistance, there were many unusual ones as well. Here is our list of the top 10 strangest miracles of the Middle Ages.
To learn more about medieval miracles, read these articles:
Childbirth Miracles in Swedish Medieval Miracle Collections
The hanging of William Cragh: anatomy of a miracle
Miracle or Magic? The Problematic Status of Christian Amulet
The Miracles of Saints Cosmas and Damian: Characteristics of Dream Healing
Weeping Statues and Bleeding Bread: Miracles in the Later Middle Ages
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