R21 ‘Miracle’ Cures of Disabled People in the Medieval Period.
Teachers’ Information and Activities KS2 or KS3
The organised church promoted the idea of miracles and miracle cures through the saints
and relics objects, or clothes or bones belonging to saints.
For over 1000 years disabled people had sought these cures by pilgrimages to shrines and
cathedrals. These cures were not restricted by social position or class. If the person could
get there they could partake of the possibility of a miracle cure. Sometimes disabled
pilgrims would make long journeys, e.g. from London to Hereford, in a wheelbarrow to
receive saints’ blessings.
1. Pilgrims bring waters from the shrine of
St Thomas Becket- the miracle window
Canterbury Cathedral.
William heals a blind woman - York
Minster. © English Heritage
2.
3. Healing of a Deaf Mute
Recent analysis by historian Irene Metzler of over 500 ‘miracle’ healings performed by
medieval saints, found that in only four or five stories had the acquired impairment been
attributed to sin. Often the condition was purely accidental. This suggests ordinary people
were more forgiving than the clergy. The saints followed the stories of the Bible by carrying
out healing that the medicine of the time could not attempt.
In these miracles 458 healings were carried out according to the churchmen who recorded
them at the time. Most were concerned with mobility impairments (218) followed by
blindness (117), muteness (51), deafness (35), epilepsy (20) and insanity (17).
However, if a disabled child was born, often this was attributed to the wrong behaviour by
the parents, especially the wrong sort of sex.
Undoubtedly the background to all these miracles was the Bible and the New Testament in
particular. Christ provided 35 healings of disabled people in the New Testament, with more
by his disciples.
Whether these miracles are seen as actually occurring or as made up stories depends on
one’s viewpoint, but recently, the psychological power of belief in curing impairments has
been acknowledged.
In the medieval period people placed great store by miracles for healing impairments.
There were many shrines and churches visited by large numbers of pilgrims and many
disabled people resident in church hospitals and alms houses to avail themselves of care
and possible cure.1
4. St John and St Peter Healing the Cripples, 1503, British Museum.
1
Irina Metzler (2006) Disability in Medieval Europe: Thinking about physical impairment C1100-1400, Routledge.
Activities can be varied for different Key Stages 2 or 3
1. Illustration 1
i. Describe what is going on in the stained glass window?
ii. Why do you think the pilgrims thought the water they brought from the shrine would
have a powerful effect on the sick person?
2. Illustration 2
i. What is William doing?
ii. What is the message of the stained glass window to pilgrims?
3. Illustration 3.
This is an illustration from a handmade religious book.
i. What does it show?
4. Illustration 4
St John and St Peter are curing ‘cripples’ in a temple.
Why do you think so many disabled people went to visit shrines in the medieval times?