On Saturday, 26 September 2026, at dawn, the Pont Léon XIV in Lourdes was illuminated in blue as the city welcomed Pope Leo XIV.
The bridge became the setting for a special welcome, with Thierry Lavit, Mayor of Lourdes, and other local representatives greeting the Holy Father. The Chanteurs Montagnards set the tone for the ceremony with the song “Lourdes au Salut”, offering the Pope a welcome deeply rooted in the identity, history and traditions of Lourdes and its region.
At the viewpoint overlooking the Gave River and the Château fort, Thierry Lavit presented Pope Leo XIV with three symbols that tell the story of Lourdes: the story of Bernadette Soubirous, the waters of the Gave, and the Château fort – Musée Pyrénéen, which reflects the history and heritage of the Pyrenees.
The Pope and the Mayor then visited the artwork “La Fraternité entre les peuples” (Fraternity Among Peoples), a sculpture created especially for the bridge by artist Jean-Jacques Abdallah, as well as the plaque bearing its new name, Pont Léon XIV.
The City of Lourdes also presented Pope Leo XIV with gifts representing the identity of the city: three historic Lourdes rose bushes, intended for the Vatican Gardens, where they will be placed in front of the replica of the Grotto of Massabielle, together with a jar of honey from the Château fort – Musée Pyrénéen.
Before continuing his journey to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in the Popemobile, Pope Leo XIV signed the Golden Book of the City of Lourdes. The Chanteurs Montagnards accompanied his departure with the Gloria by Charles Gounod.
For Lourdes, one of the cities of Shrines of Europe, the Pope’s visit was a particularly meaningful moment. It brought together the city’s history, cultural heritage and living traditions with its identity as an international pilgrimage destination and one of Europe’s most important shrine cities.
