Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass at Lourdes

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass before approximately 150,000 people at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes on Sunday. During the homily on the sanctuary prairie, the pope spoke against euthanasia and medically assisted dying, criticizing trends that redefine the value of human life during illness, suffering, or old age. He described the Grotto of Massabielle as a sanctuary of Christian hope where fragility is met with respect and welcome.

Addressing the sick and disabled pilgrims, the pope encouraged them to offer their suffering for the world and to view life as a precious gift from God destined for eternity. He noted that at Lourdes, physical limitations such as wheelchairs or crutches are not obstacles but places where believers are welcomed by God's love.

Before the Mass, the pope arrived from Paris and prayed in the Grotto of Apparitions, where he drank from the local spring. During his visit, he also met with French bishops and planned to visit patients at Accueil Notre-Dame, including individuals who survived clergy sexual abuse. Before concluding his day, the pope called on Christian communities to pray the Rosary throughout October to seek peace in conflict zones, accompanied by acts of penance and mercy.