Lourdes prepares for first papal visit in 18 years with hotels fully booked
The French shrine town expects 150,000 pilgrims for Pope Leo XIV's visit on September 26 and 27, the first by a pope since Benedict XVI in 2008, with 2,000 volunteers mobilized
The French town of Lourdes is preparing for the visit of Pope Leo XIV on September 26 and 27, 2026, the first by a pope since Benedict XVI came in 2008. Hotel owners, shopkeepers, artisans, volunteers and the shrine's staff are all getting ready for thousands of pilgrims from across France and abroad.
A large banner with the pope's image hangs at the top of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. "We are delighted to welcome the pope and very proud of his visit," said Pierre, a 45-year-old resident who will be among the 150,000 people at the Mass Leo XIV will celebrate in the meadow at the shrine. More than 2,500 journalists have been accredited to cover the pope's arrival in France, many of them in Lourdes.
Logistics
The number of visitors expected poses a considerable logistical challenge. About 2,000 volunteers have been mobilized, 10 kilometers of security barriers have been installed, 12 giant screens have been set up so pilgrims can follow the celebrations, and 800 temporary toilets have been placed around the town. Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes said: "Lourdes has experience in receiving crowds, but this time everything is multiplied by ten. We are receiving great support from the state services and working together to ensure that everything goes as well as possible and that we can offer a memorable celebration."
Questions remain about security, access to the shrine and traffic in the town, all of them sensitive given the 150,000 people expected. The prefecture of the Hautes-Pyrénées and the Lourdes city council will announce the final traffic plan for the weekend of the visit on September 4.
Hotels booked out
Demand for accommodation has run well beyond expectations, and finding a room in Lourdes for that weekend has become close to impossible. "All the hotels are full, even beyond capacity," said Marie-Laure, manager of the Hotel Miramont, whose 92 rooms were booked soon after the visit was announced. At 62, she has lived through the visits of Pope John Paul II in 1983 and 2004 and that of Benedict XVI in 2008, and is looking forward to another pope coming to her town. "We did not have the chance to receive Pope Francis. It has been a long time since a pope was in Lourdes."
The shrine's Village des Jeunes, its youth center, is also full. To meet the demand, 290 extra places have been created by turning some meeting rooms and the dining hall into large dormitories, allowing 2,700 young people to stay during the weekend of the visit. "It is a significant moment that we want to live intensely," said Joël Luzenko, who runs the Village des Jeunes. His usual team of 14 will be reinforced by volunteers and young people helping with activities and logistics.
Souvenirs and local production
Souvenir shops are preparing too. Medals, key rings and other objects bearing the image of Leo XIV are appearing alongside the traditional souvenirs of Lourdes, though the town wants to avoid a flood of merchandise. "We have received many proposals from various companies for promotional items, but we are selective. We prefer products made in France, especially in Lourdes, that have a meaning, such as the SERAL-Majoado medals with the image of Leo XIV," said Claudine Aubert, president of the Lourdes union of souvenir and devotional trades. By mid-August the local manufacturer SERAL-Majoado had produced more than 50,000 items dedicated to the pope.
At the town's candle works, production is also rising. "From next week we will increase our production by 20 percent until the pope arrives," said Laurent Lacoste, who heads the nearly century-old firm. In all, 175,000 candles are to be made in three weeks. Lacoste said he expects to meet the target, recalling that the firm faced demand on a similar scale in 2008, during the 150th anniversary of the apparitions in Lourdes.
Spiritual preparation
Alongside the logistics, the shrine is preparing spiritually. "A prayer has been written nationally for the Church in France, which is being prayed in Catholic communities to prepare for the arrival of the pope and his message," Micas said. In Lourdes the prayer is said at every Mass, and at midday during the Angelus, and it has become part of the community's spiritual routine.
The Village des Jeunes is organizing a program for young people with the shrine's pastoral team on Saturday, September 26, possibly including a vigil of adoration.
