Pope Leo XIV Visits Lourdes Amid Calls for Healing and Accountability
Pope Leo XIV landed in Lourdes on Saturday night, launching his first pilgrimage to the famed shrine of miraculous cures. The visit marks a high‑profile moment for the pontiff as he seeks spiritual renewal and public accountability.
In 1858, a 14‑year‑old peasant girl named Bernadette Soubirous reported 18 visions of the Virgin Mary at the Massabielle Grotto, a claim that later produced her sainthood. The episode sparked a wave of pilgrim traffic that continues to this day.
Pope Leo XIV celebrated a nighttime prayer service at the Grotto before leading an open‑air Mass on Sunday, with organizers projecting a crowd of 800,000. The massive gathering underscores the site’s enduring draw for faithful worldwide.
He will meet with bishops, the sick, and support staff during the weekend. The pontiff emphasized a theme of purification and healing, citing the Church’s recent sexual abuse scandals.
Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis, former president of the Lourdes Office of Medical Observation, said the pope will meet individuals whose cures have been officially recognized by the Church. He listed Sister Bernadette Moriau, who regained mobility after a spinal condition, and Antonietta Raco, cured of primary lateral sclerosis in 2009.
De Franciscis also highlighted a young cancer survivor, Delizia Cirolli, who was healed of Ewing’s sarcoma at age seven in the late 1970s. He noted that such recognized miracles represent only a fraction of the spiritual recoveries reported at Lourdes.
According to de Franciscis, spiritual cures far outnumber physical ones, a point he made while discussing his upcoming book, “The Angels Among Us.” He argued that many healings occur beneath the radar, remaining unrecorded in official statistics.
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel referenced the ongoing toxicology investigation into the deaths of two Ole Miss students while emphasizing the pope’s focus on healing. His comments link the pilgrimage to broader health and accountability discussions.
In a solemn act of repentance, the pope plans to sit with seven victims of clergy‑perpetrated sexual assault, underscoring a commitment to accountability. The meeting aims to bring closure and promote renewal within the Church.
