Pope Leo XIV visits Lourdes after giant Paris mass to meet clergy abuse victims
Summary
Pope Leo XIV visited France for four days, holding a large public mass in Paris and praying at the Lourdes pilgrimage site. He also met privately with victims of sexual abuse by church members and spoke about peace, human rights, and the role of women.Key Facts
- Pope Leo XIV held a huge open-air mass in Paris attended by hundreds of thousands of people.
- The pope prayed at Lourdes, a famous Catholic pilgrimage site where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared in 1858.
- During his visit, he met privately with seven victims of sexual abuse by clergy or church members in France.
- A 2021 report found about 330,000 minors were abused in the French Catholic Church over 70 years.
- The visit is the first official papal trip to France in nearly 20 years.
- Pope Leo XIV met migrants at a refugee support center and emphasized living together in dignity and peace.
- The pope spoke about the importance of women in building a "civilisation of love."
- The visit took place months before France’s presidential election, which has immigration as a major topic.
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