Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes on 27 September, drawing pilgrims from France and around the world on the third day of his apostolic journey to the country, according to Vatican News. The visit to the pilgrimage site, long associated with reports of miraculous healing, followed earlier stops in the journey that also included a visit to UNESCO’s Paris headquarters.
A Message on Human Dignity
In his homily, the Pope addressed what he described as current trends “that seek to redefine the value of human life in illness, suffering and old age,” saying the grotto at Lourdes “stands as a place of Christian hope.” He also called on the Church to hold itself accountable, saying it “must have the courage to begin with herself” in confronting institutional failings.
Meetings With the Sick and Bishops
Before the Mass, the pontiff met with the bishops of the French Bishops’ Conference and with the sick and their carers at the shrine’s Accueil Notre-Dame community, according to Vatican News. He closed his remarks to pilgrims by telling them, “You will not leave Lourdes as you arrived. You will leave as missionaries of hope.” The Pope was scheduled to travel on to Metz before returning to Rome to complete the journey. Vatican News reported that roughly 150,000 people gathered at the shrine’s open-air prairie for the Mass, reflecting Lourdes’ enduring pull as one of Catholicism’s most visited pilgrimage destinations.
A Journey That Also Touched Abuse Survivors
During his time in Lourdes, the Pope also met with survivors of clerical sexual abuse, part of a broader effort by his pontificate to address the Church’s handling of past failings. The meeting was not extensively detailed publicly, but Vatican officials said it formed a deliberate part of the itinerary rather than a last-minute addition.
Why It Matters
Lourdes remains one of the Catholic Church’s most visited pilgrimage sites, drawing millions of visitors annually, many seeking healing or spiritual comfort. A papal visit there carries symbolic weight for the global Church’s stance on suffering, ageing and end-of-life issues, at a moment when several European countries are actively debating assisted dying legislation.
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