Pope Leo XIV Visits Lourdes for Healing and Reflection
Pope Leo XIV has made a significant visit to Lourdes, arriving from Paris on Saturday evening. This trip marks his first time at this famous site, known for miraculous healings.
Lourdes gained prominence in 1858 when a 14-year-old girl named Bernadette Soubirous experienced 18 visions of the Virgin Mary at the Massabielle Grotto, which led to her being canonized as a saint. During his visit, the pope offered prayers at the Grotto and is set to lead an open-air Mass on Sunday, expecting hundreds of thousands of attendees.
In addition to the Mass, Pope Leo plans to meet with various bishops, individuals who are ill, and the support staff working in Lourdes. Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis, the recently retired president of the Lourdes Office of Medical Observation, shared insights about the pope’s visit, emphasizing themes of healing and purification, particularly in light of recent challenges facing the Church.
Dr. de Franciscis noted that the pope would meet people who have experienced miraculous healings recognized by the Church. Among them is Sister Bernadette Moriau, who regained the ability to walk after suffering from a spinal condition, and Antonietta Raco, who was cured of a severe neurodegenerative disease. The pope will also meet Delizia Cirolli, who was cured of Ewing’s Sarcoma when she was just seven years old in the late 1970s.
For many, Lourdes represents a place of both spiritual and physical healing. Dr. de Franciscis highlighted that these experiences often lead to many unnoticed spiritual transformations. He remarked, “These so-called spiritual cures are so, so much more numerous than the physical ones that we know.” He explained how visitors come intending to help others but often leave with profound personal transformations.
This weekend, amid the pope’s focus on repentance and accountability, he plans to meet with seven survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, reflecting a commitment to confronting the Church’s past.
Overall, Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lourdes is a significant moment of reflection, healing, and hope for many.
