Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass with 150,000 worshippers in the French pilgrimage town of Lourdes on Sunday. In his homily, the head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics acknowledged "deep wounds, a breach of trust and painful failings" committed within the Church. He emphasized that admitting mistakes is indispensable for spiritual growth. The Pope's visit to Lourdes is part of a four-day trip to France, which began on Friday and will conclude on Monday.
The town of Lourdes in south-western France is one of Europe's best-known pilgrimage sites. According to Catholic belief, the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, appeared multiple times to a 14-year-old girl in the mid-19th century. The town has a population of 13,400 inhabitants. On Saturday, 800,000 people had already attended a papal Mass in Paris, according to attendance figures provided by the Vatican and French authorities.
Pope Leo XIV is also scheduled to meet privately with a small group of victims of sexual abuse by clergy in the afternoon. The Pope's visit to France comes amid a backdrop of widespread criticism of the Church's handling of abuse cases. An independent commission of inquiry has reported that there have been more than 200,000 victims of abuse since 1950.
One case that has garnered attention is that of Marko Rupnik, a former Jesuit priest and artist from Slovenia. He is suspected of having sexually abused nuns over several decades, and proceedings against him are under way before a special court at the Vatican. Rupnik co-designed the entrance doors of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Lourdes, but the Pope did not see the works.
The mosaics designed by Rupnik were covered with aluminium panels on the orders of the local bishop. The Pope's trip to France will conclude with a visit to the city of Metz, in the east of the country, where he plans to deliver a speech on Europe. France has maintained a strict separation of Church and state for more than a century.
Despite this, Catholics remain the largest religious group in France, but many people in the country no longer identify with any religion. The proportion of Muslims in the country of 69 million has grown in recent years. The Pope's visit to Lourdes and Metz is seen as an opportunity for him to engage with the French people and address the challenges facing the Church.
The Pope's message of acknowledging mistakes and seeking forgiveness is seen as a significant step towards healing and reconciliation. The Church has faced intense scrutiny over its handling of abuse cases, and the Pope's words are expected to be closely watched by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Key points
- Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass with 150,000 worshippers in Lourdes, France, acknowledging "deep wounds, a breach of trust and painful failings" committed within the Church.
- The Pope's visit to France comes amid a backdrop of widespread criticism of the Church's handling of abuse cases, with over 200,000 victims reported since 1950.
- The Pope's message of acknowledging mistakes and seeking forgiveness is seen as a significant step towards healing and reconciliation.
