Pope prays rosary in Lourdes, encourages pilgrims

The Pope prayed the rosary in Lourdes, France, on September 27, 2026. He spoke to the faithful gathered at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, concluding his visit to the city where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared. The Pope led a procession with the rosary prayer. He expressed his emotion at seeing the faithful people of God, generation after generation, respond with love and confidence to the tender invitation of the Virgin Mary to pilgrimage to Lourdes.

The Pope said, "This light that guides and attracts us is the light of hope that never abandons us, even as we journey through this life, often marked by trials, but already inhabited by the joy of knowing ourselves to be children of God, loved and saved by Jesus." He spoke directly to the sick, encouraging them to keep in their memory the words, "The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." He invited the faithful to run with confidence toward Mary, whose Immaculate Conception shines like a beacon in the night.

The Pope said, "She is the star of the sea who helps us in our troubles." He concluded with an exhortation to bring their most cherished and urgent intentions to Our Lady, both personal intentions and those for the world. He said, "As we contemplate her in her Immaculate Conception, an invincible joy and hope spring up in our hearts."