Pope brings message to protect life to French shrine at Lourdes known for miraculous cures

Pope Leo XIV is spreading his stance against euthanasia and medically assisted dying at the Lourdes shrine in France, a place renowned for miraculous healings and now aiding survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The Pope is set to meet with French bishops and later celebrate Mass in front of Lourdes' main basilica for an audience of around 150,000 people.

In addition, Leo will speak with a group of abuse survivors, a routine engagement during his papal visits. Lourdes, near the Spanish border, has drawn millions of pilgrims annually, especially those seeking healing from the famed spring water in the Grotto of Apparitions where visions of the Virgin Mary were reportedly experienced.

The Pope's visit to France highlights his consistent advocacy for respecting all human life, from conception to natural death, which translates into a strong opposition to abortion and medically assisted dying. In Lourdes, a site of 72 officially recognized "miraculous" cures, the issue of respecting even the most vulnerable is especially poignant.

Recently, Lourdes has also become a sanctuary for abuse survivors. Leo is scheduled to meet with seven victims on Sunday, including one who was abused as an adult, acknowledging the evolving challenges for the church in addressing this issue. The French church has grappled with the aftermath of widespread abuse, with an independent report estimating that 330,000 children were abused over 70 years by approximately 3,000 priests and church workers.

Despite criticism of the report's methodology, French bishops established an independent compensation system for victims, having recommended the church pay out over €20 million ($22.7 million) to date. On the day Leo arrived in Paris, a group of abuse survivors sent an open letter to him, demanding the church acknowledge its responsibility and criticizing the selection of the seven survivors by the church itself rather than by abuse survivors' groups.