Pope joins pilgrims in Lourdes candlelit rosary as 150,000 attend mass
Thousands of pilgrims filled Lourdes on Sunday evening for a candlelit procession with Pope Leo XIV, as he brought his four-day visit to France to a close.
Pope Francis joined thousands of pilgrims in a candlelit rosary ceremony at Lourdes, France, where an estimated 150,000 people gathered for mass. The pope, dressed in traditional attire with a candle and rosary, walked behind a statue of the Virgin Mary through the sanctuary, emphasizing his role as a "pilgrim among pilgrims". The procession commenced at the Grotto of Massabielle, the site where, in 1858, Bernadette Soubirous claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary.
The Rosary, a Catholic prayer practice divided into five decades, was recited in multiple languages, including French, English, Italian, and Spanish. Accompanying the prayers was the traditional "Ave Maria" of Lourdes. Over 150,000 candles illuminated the sanctuary, amplifying the significance of this evening ritual. Prior to the ceremony, the pope led an outdoor mass attended by around 150,000 attendees, interacted with French bishops, and visited pilgrims who were ill or disabled.
Additionally, the pontiff engaged in private meetings with those who had suffered clergy sexual abuse. This visit marked the first papal state visit to France in 18 years.
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
