Favours & Miracles Through the Intercession of Saint Gianna
From the earliest days following her death, countless people throughout the world have turned to Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, asking for her prayers and intercession.
Many have experienced extraordinary healings, while others have received the quieter gifts of peace, hope, strength, reconciliation, healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries, and renewed trust in God during life's most difficult moments.
The Catholic Church carefully investigates every reported miracle before recognising it officially. Two miracles attributed to Saint Gianna's intercession were examined with great care and ultimately led to her Beatification and Canonisation.
We share these remarkable stories below, together with the opportunity for you to share your own testimony of God's grace through Saint Gianna's intercession.
The Miracle for Beatification
The first miracle recognised by the Catholic Church through the intercession of Gianna Beretta Molla involved the remarkable healing of Hannah Rose Petrillo, an unborn baby from the United States.
During pregnancy, doctors discovered that Hannah suffered from multiple life-threatening complications. Medical specialists diagnosed severe abnormalities that left very little hope for her survival before or after birth. Her parents were advised that the outlook was extremely poor.
Rather than giving in to despair, Hannah's parents entrusted their unborn daughter to God through the intercession of Gianna Beretta Molla, who at that time had not yet been declared Blessed.
Family, friends, and many others joined them in prayer, asking Gianna to intercede for the life of their unborn child.
Against all medical expectation, Hannah survived.
She was born healthy, and many of the serious conditions doctors had feared were no longer present. Medical experts were unable to provide a scientific explanation for the dramatic outcome.
After an extensive investigation by physicians, theologians and Church authorities, the healing was recognised as a miracle obtained through Gianna's intercession.
On 24 April 1994, Pope Saint John Paul II beatified Gianna Beretta Molla in St Peter's Square, giving her the title Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla.
The Miracle for Canonisation
A second miracle was required before Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla could be declared a saint.
In 1999, Elizabeth Comparini Arcolino, a Brazilian mother expecting her fourth child, was admitted to hospital after suffering devastating complications during her pregnancy.
Doctors discovered a large blood clot within her uterus, and at just sixteen weeks' gestation, almost all of the amniotic fluid surrounding her unborn daughter had been lost. The outlook for both mother and baby was extremely poor. Medical staff believed the baby was unlikely to survive, and Elizabeth's own life was also at serious risk.
Despite the grave prognosis, Elizabeth remained firm in her faith and refused to end the pregnancy.
While she was in hospital, Fr Ovídio José Alves de Andrade visited her, administered the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, and encouraged her to place her trust in God.
Soon afterwards, Bishop Diogenes Silva Matthes, who had celebrated Elizabeth and her husband's wedding years earlier, came to visit. He brought with him a biography of Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla and encouraged Elizabeth to entrust both herself and her unborn child to Blessed Gianna's intercession.
The bishop later revealed the prayer he had already been offering:
"Now has arrived the opportunity for you to be canonised. Intercede before the Lord for the grace of a miracle and save the life of this little child."
Inspired by Blessed Gianna's own witness, Elizabeth placed herself entirely in God's hands and continued the pregnancy.
Against every medical expectation, the pregnancy continued.
On 31 May 2000, Elizabeth gave birth to a healthy baby girl whom she named Gianna Maria in gratitude for Blessed Gianna's intercession.
Both mother and daughter recovered well. Although Gianna Maria was born with a clubfoot, it was successfully treated, and she went on to develop normally.
The Vatican conducted an extensive investigation into the healing. Independent medical experts concluded that the continuation of the pregnancy and the healthy outcome for both mother and child could not be explained by medical science.
On 20 December 2003, Pope Saint John Paul II officially approved the miracle attributed to Blessed Gianna's intercession.
Less than five months later, on 16 May 2004, he canonised Saint Gianna Beretta Molla in St Peter's Square before thousands of pilgrims. Among those present were her husband, Pietro, and their three surviving children, who witnessed the Church formally recognise the holiness of the woman they had loved as wife and mother.
Share Your Story
Have you experienced a favour, an answered prayer, or a grace through the intercession of Saint Gianna?
Many people have prayed with one of our Saint Gianna prayer cards, entrusted their intentions to God during the veneration of our second-class relic of Saint Gianna, or sought her intercession in their own homes.
Whether your prayer was answered in an extraordinary way or through the quiet grace of everyday life, we would be honoured to hear your story. Your testimony may become a source of hope and encouragement for others who are turning to Saint Gianna in faith.
If you would like to share your testimony, please send it to us via the Contact page on our website. When submitting your testimony, you are welcome to include:
Your prayer intention.
How you sought Saint Gianna's intercession.
Whether you prayed with one of our prayer cards, during the veneration of our second-class relic, or in another way.
What happened.
Whether any medical documentation is available (if applicable).
Whether you are happy for your testimony to be shared publicly and whether you would like your first name to be shared publicly or remain private.
Every testimony will be treated with care and respect. With your permission, your story may be shared on this website to encourage others and to give thanks to God for the graces received through the intercession of Saint Gianna.
We look forward to hearing how Saint Gianna has accompanied you on your journey of faith.