Pope Leo XIV visits Lourdes to meet clergy abuse victims after Paris mass

Pope Leo XIV traveled to the southwestern French pilgrimage town of Lourdes on Sunday, continuing a four-day visit to France that began with two days in Paris, where he drew hundreds of thousands of worshippers to a mass in the capital.

In Lourdes, the pope held a private meeting with victims of clergy sexual abuse, according to reports on the visit. The meeting formed part of a trip that marks the first official papal visit to France in nearly two decades, drawing significant attention both for its religious dimension and for the pope's engagement with the abuse survivors.

The Paris leg of the visit saw large crowds turn out for the mass celebrated by the pope, reflecting continued public interest in papal visits despite years of scrutiny facing the Catholic Church over its handling of clergy sexual abuse cases across multiple countries, including France.

Lourdes, known worldwide as a Catholic pilgrimage site associated with reported Marian apparitions in the nineteenth century, draws millions of visitors each year, including many seeking healing or spiritual solace, making it a symbolically significant stop for the pope's engagement with abuse survivors.

The visit is expected to conclude in the coming days, with further details of the pope's itinerary and any additional statements on the church's response to the abuse crisis likely to follow as the trip continues.