Pope Leo XIV celebrates mass for 150,000 in Lourdes during France visit
Pope Leo XIV continued his visit to France by traveling to Lourdes, a major Catholic pilgrimage site in the Pyrenees foothills, where he celebrated mass before around 150,000 people.
Pope Leo XIV's visit to France continued with a stop in Lourdes, one of the world's most significant Catholic pilgrimage destinations, located in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains. At the site, which draws vast numbers of the faithful each year, the Pope celebrated mass before a crowd of approximately 150,000 people.
Lourdes is widely known as one of the largest pilgrimage destinations for Catholics, attracting believers from around the world who come to take part in religious ceremonies and visit the shrine. The Pope's presence there drew significant attention from international media.
Hendro Munstermann, a Vatican correspondent for the Dutch newspaper Nederland Dagblad, was present in Lourdes during the visit and shared his impressions of the event and insights into the Pope's trip.
The stop in Lourdes forms part of the Pope's broader tour of France, during which he is visiting several notable sites across the country. The large turnout at the mass underscored the continued importance of Lourdes as a pilgrimage center today.
