Pope Leo XIV Meets Cloistered Nuns in Lourdes, Decries Assisted Dying

Pope Leo XIV entered a Carmelite monastery in Lourdes on Sunday for a private encounter with cloistered nuns, a subdued interlude during a pilgrimage otherwise defined by large public gatherings and prayers for the sick.

The meeting with the Carmelite sisters was held behind closed doors, setting it apart from the rest of the day, when the pontiff celebrated Mass before enormous crowds and greeted sick and disabled pilgrims at the sanctuary.

Contemplative communities such as the Carmelites devote their lives chiefly to prayer — a vocation closely tied to Lourdes, where Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, then a teenager, in 1858. According to the sanctuary, millions of people have since made the journey there in search of spiritual comfort and healing.

Before going into the monastery, Leo met sick and disabled pilgrims at the shrine. He told them they were "not a burden" and spoke out against assisted dying, weeks after France passed a law permitting the practice under certain conditions.

After leaving the monastery, the pope waved to crowds and blessed a child as he made his way through the area, with onlookers applauding. He later appeared on stage at the sanctuary.