Pope Leo XIV recently made his first visit to Lourdes after arriving from Paris on Saturday evening. Lourdes is famous for its miraculous healing reputation. In 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, a 14-year-old peasant girl, had 18 visions of the Virgin Mary at the Massabielle Grotto in Lourdes. This event led to her canonization as a saint.
The pope participated in prayer at the Grotto on Saturday night and led an open-air Mass on the Prairie on Sunday, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees. After the Mass, he planned meetings with bishops, the sick, and support staff.
During his visit, Dr. Alessandro de Franciscis, former president of the Lourdes Office of Medical Observation, shared insights on his upcoming meeting with Pope Leo XIV. The focus of the visit is purification and healing, including addressing the Church’s recent sexual abuse scandals.
Dr. de Franciscis praised Pope Leo XIV for his leadership and acknowledged his efforts, notably his first encyclical letter on artificial intelligence discussing its benefits. Pope Leo XIV, originally from Chicago, has gained admiration for his approach to challenges within the Church.
The pope will meet individuals whose healing experiences have been recognized by the Church. Among them is Sister Bernadette Moriau, cured of a spinal condition enabling her to walk again, and Antonietta Raco, who recovered from primary lateral sclerosis in 2009.
A notable case involves Delizia Cirolli, who overcame Ewing’s Sarcoma, a right knee cancer, at the age of seven in the late ’70s. Spiritual and physical healing at Lourdes often lead to both minor and major miracles.
In the book “The Angels Among Us,” de Franciscis highlighted the crucial role of hospitaliers, the “angels of Lourdes,” who care for the sick. These spiritual cures, according to statistics, are more numerous than the physical ones that are known.
“People come here to serve; they think they come here to help others, but they leave being so much better,” Dr. de Franciscis mentioned.
The visit also involves a significant moment for accountability and repentance. Pope Leo XIV plans to meet seven victims of sexual assault by clergy over the weekend in Lourdes.
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