What Made Pope Leo’s Candlelight Walk With Lourdes Pilgrims So Special?

Pope Leo XIV joined thousands of pilgrims for a candlelight Rosary procession at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France on September 27, becoming part of the traditional evening devotion as a “pilgrim among pilgrims.” The procession brought together faithful carrying candles and praying the Rosary while following an illuminated statue of the Virgin Mary. The prayers were offered in several languages, including French, Italian, English and Spanish. Holding a candle and rosary, Pope Leo walked with the pilgrims through the shrine grounds. The gathering created a sea of candlelight as the faithful prayed and sang the “Ave Maria” of Lourdes. The procession began near the Grotto of Massabielle, where St. Bernadette Soubirous experienced the Marian apparitions in 1858. From there, the pilgrims proceeded toward the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. In his address, Pope Leo reflected on the significance of the procession and the tradition of pilgrims coming to Lourdes in response to Mary’s invitation communicated through St. Bernadette. He described himself as a pilgrim among other pilgrims and expressed gratitude for joining Christians who come to Lourdes with their prayers, hopes, struggles and intentions. The Pope placed particular emphasis on the light of hope. He said that Christian hope continues to guide people even during difficult periods of life and reminded the faithful of their identity as children of God, loved and saved through Jesus Christ. The Pope also gave special attention to sick and suffering pilgrims. He described them as witnesses to the way faith and love can transform the experience of suffering. His message encouraged them to remain steadfast in faith and charity while looking toward the hope of eternal life. The candlelight procession is a long-standing tradition at Lourdes. Every evening during the pilgrimage season, pilgrims gather to pray the Rosary while carrying candles through the sanctuary. For Pope Leo, taking part in the procession offered an opportunity to pray alongside ordinary pilgrims rather than simply observing the devotion. His participation connected the papal visit with one of Lourdes’ most recognisable expressions of Marian prayer. The Pope concluded by encouraging pilgrims to entrust their intentions to Our Lady and to allow the light they carried during the procession to remain a symbol of hope in their lives. The Lourdes procession therefore became a significant moment of prayer and fellowship, bringing together people from different countries around a shared Catholic devotion to Mary and a message of Christian hope.