Pope in Lourdes: Human Dignity Cannot Be Measured or Debated

Lourdes, September 27, 2026: Pope Leo XIV has affirmed the inalienable dignity of every human person, insisting that human dignity “cannot be measured or debated” and calling on healthcare workers to become “passionate defenders of life”.

The Pope made the appeal on Sunday during his visit to the Accueil Notre-Dame pilgrim centre at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, where he met sick, frail and disabled pilgrims and representatives of organisations serving them.

Speaking about the experience of illness and vulnerability, Pope Leo said that at Lourdes, “fragility is not hidden, but instead becomes the place of a sacred encounter”.

‘No one is invisible in God’s eyes’

Reflecting on this year’s Marian Sanctuary theme, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you”, the Pope highlighted the humility and generosity of the Virgin Mary, through which God accomplished His work of salvation.

He said the words “The Lord is with you” reveal the foundation of “our dignity as persons”. Mary’s recognition of each unique person, he added, reminds Christians that “no one is invisible in God’s eyes”.

Pope Leo urged society to adopt a “contemplative outlook” towards human life, particularly when society “looks aside or closes its eyes to the dignity of human life”. Such an outlook, he said, enables people to recognise life as a gift and to see in every person “a call to encounter, dialogue, and solidarity”.

He stressed that every person is worthy “simply by virtue of existing and being destined for eternity”.

“Our dignity cannot be measured or debated,” the Pope said.

Call to defend life

Addressing sick pilgrims who may experience uncertainty or hopelessness because of illness, Pope Leo insisted that “no human law should ever make you lose the certainty of your dignity”.

He warned against “the temptation to cause death under the guise of false compassion”, adding that “what is legal is not necessarily moral”.

The Pope called on healthcare workers to remember that their vocation is “to care for a suffering person, not eliminate that person”. He encouraged them to promote authentic palliative care and research and to accompany the sick with the tenderness witnessed at Lourdes.

Turning to the sick pilgrims, Pope Leo told them: “You are not a burden. You are the beating heart of our humanity and a precious treasure for the Church.”

He assured them of his prayers and entrusted them to Mary, asking her to obtain for them “the consolations of her Son, Jesus”.

Courtesy: Vatican News