Pope Leo XIV makes first official Papal visit in France in nearly 20

Pope Leo XIV is set to embark on an official visit to France this week, including a trip to the famed shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in the Pyrenees. This marks the first time a pontiff has visited Lourdes since Benedict XVI in September 2008, during the 150th anniversary of the Virgin Mary's apparitions to Bernadette Soubirous. Lourdes, a small town near the Spanish border, has transformed into one of the world's foremost Catholic pilgrimage sites since Soubirous' claim of witnessing 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the Massabielle grotto between February and July 1858.

The shrine, built in 1862 after the Church's recognition of the apparitions, now attracts around three million pilgrims annually, making it the fourth most visited Catholic pilgrimage site globally. Despite its modest population of 13,000 residents, Lourdes boasts nearly 10,000 hotel rooms and 21,200 beds to accommodate the influx of visitors.

However, securing affordable lodging during Pope Leo's visit has become increasingly difficult, with some hotels charging more than €2,000 per night due to the anticipated massive crowds. The visit coincides with a surge in baptisms in France, with adult baptisms rising by 28% and teenage baptisms increasing by 10% over the past five years.

Pope Leo XIV is expected to touch down at Tarbes Lourdes Pyrénées airport on Saturday evening and commence his pilgrimage with a Mass at the Massabielle grotto. Additionally, he will hold private discussions with seven victims of sexual abuse, a sensitive matter for the Catholic Church in France, which has faced accusations of failing to protect minors over the past seven decades.