Pope Leo XIV has joined thousands of pilgrims in Lourdes, France, for a candlelit Rosary procession at the Catholic sanctuary, describing himself as a “pilgrim among pilgrims.”
Holding a candle and rosary, the Pope walked behind a statue of the Virgin Mary through the sanctuary during the evening procession, which began at the Grotto of Massabielle, where Bernadette Soubirous is said to have experienced apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1858.
The Rosary, a traditional Catholic devotion, consists of prayers divided into five decades, with worshippers reflecting on events in the lives of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
The prayers were recited in several languages, including French, English, Italian and Spanish, while the “Ave Maria” of Lourdes accompanied the ceremony.
More than 150,000 candles were lit across the sanctuary, creating the iconic evening spectacle for which Lourdes is known.
Earlier, Pope Leo celebrated an outdoor Mass attended by about 150,000 people as part of his visit to the French pilgrimage town.
During his visit, the Pope also met French bishops and visited sick and disabled pilgrims.
He further held private meetings with survivors of clergy sexual abuse, as the Catholic Church continues efforts to address cases of abuse and support victims.
The visit marked the first official papal state visit to France in 18 years and brought the Pope to one of the world’s most important Catholic pilgrimage sites.
Lourdes attracts millions of pilgrims each year, many of whom visit the sanctuary seeking spiritual renewal and praying for healing.
