Pope Leo XIV traveled to Lourdes for the second leg of his French apostolic journey, addressing a crowd of 200,000 pilgrims and directly challenging assisted dying legislation in France. Speaking at the sanctuary where Bernadette reported visions in 1858, the pontiff engaged privately with seven French abuse survivors, and called for medical professionals to exercise conscience objections against programmed death.
Pope Leo XIV Lourdes Visit Draws 200,000 Pilgrims
Two hundred thousand people gathered for Sunday morning Mass on the meadow behind the Basilica at the sanctuary of Lourdes during Pope Leo XIV’s second leg of his visit to France. Following two days in Paris, the pontiff repeated a message in French, Spanish, and Italian: “What a joy to be together, one heart, one single family.” Pilgrims traveled from the United States, Colombia, Lebanon, Spain, and Italy, including 4,000 participants from the Unitalsi national pilgrimage.
The sanctuary marks the site where the Virgin Mary told the shepherdess Bernadette she was the Immaculate Conception during eighteen encounters in 1858. Pope Leo XIV met with operators and residents of the Accueil Notre-Dame, describing the location as a city of the sick and of hope where individuals entrust their physical, psychological, and spiritual sufferings to Jesus through Mary.
Pontiff Rejects Assisted Dying and Calls for Conscience Objections
During his homily at Lourdes, Pope Leo XIV addressed current efforts to redefine the value of human life in the face of illness, suffering, or old age. He stated that the human person possesses dignity simply by existing and having eternity as an end, asserting that no human law should undermine that certainty.
“It is impossible to consider normal taking a life. What is legal is not necessarily moral,” Pope Leo XIV said, urging a firm rejection of ending life under the pretext of false compassion. He addressed medical staff by reminding them that their vocation is to care for suffering individuals rather than eliminate them, calling for an active objection of conscience. The pontiff urged the expansion of palliative care structures and research while discouraging reliance on laboratory algorithms to decide the fate of embryos or elderly individuals.
Private Meeting with French Abuse Survivors and Bishops
In the late afternoon, Pope Leo XIV held a private, hour-and-half meeting with seven French survivors of abuse, consisting of four men and three women. According to the Holy See Press Office, the Pope listened individually to their stories, pain, and proposals for prevention while offering prayers with several participants.
The Vatican’s outreach coincided with the decision to cover Marko Rupnik’s mosaics on the facade of the sanctuary where the pontiff later presided over the evening Rosary. Earlier in the day, addressing French bishops, Pope Leo XIV acknowledged the difficult moments faced by the Episcopal Conference following an independent commission’s investigation estimating 216,000 victims of abuse between 1950 and 2020. He praised the bishops for taking courageous steps through listening, justice, and protection measures, urging them to maintain maximum vigilance.
Pope Leo XIV asserted that the voice of the Church holds full right of citizenship in French public debate, particularly regarding foundational civilization issues such as assisted suicide legislation recently approved in the country. He encouraged French bishops to defend the freedom and right of the Church to evangelize, educate on true liberty, and publicly practice worship.
Addressing global conflicts during Mass, the pontiff pointed out that the evil afflicting the era stems from the human heart rather than from God. He called for an internal conversion within the Church itself, asking it to place itself under the purifying gaze of the Lord to heal internal wounds and infidelities.
Questions Regarding the Papal Visit to Lourdes
How many people attended the Mass at Lourdes?
Approximately 200,000 pilgrims gathered on the meadow behind the Basilica for the Sunday morning Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV.
What did the Pope say about assisted dying?
Pope Leo XIV stated that taking a life can never be considered normal and that legal measures do not equate to morality. He called on medical professionals to practice conscientious objection against programmed death.
Did the Pope meet with abuse survivors in France?
Yes. The Holy See Press Office confirmed that Pope Leo XIV met privately and individually with seven French abuse survivors—four men and three women—to listen to their experiences and discuss prevention efforts.
What was the context of the abuse figures discussed with bishops?
The Pope discussed the difficult period experienced by the French Episcopal Conference following an independent commission’s report that estimated 216,000 abuse victims in France between 1950 and 2020.
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