All the Father Marko Rupnik mosaics at the Shrine of Lourdes will soon be permanently hidden, according to new information shared by the bishop of the Diocese of Lourdes-Tarbes.
By the time Pope Leo XIV arrives at the Sanctuary of Lourdes at the end of September, the infamous mosaics adorning the exterior of the basilica will be completely covered. According to an exclusive report published by French outlet La Dépêche, the local ordinary Bishop Jean-Marc Micas has now decided to cover all the mosaics, after having already covered part of the mosaics in March last year.
La Dépêche reported that Micas had decided that Pope Leo’s September visit to the shrine was a useful prompt to take the next step regarding the images. “The Holy Father’s visit to Lourdes is an opportunity to take another step forward on this issue,” he said. “All the works on the façade will be covered and then redecorated in connection with Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey.”
Micas was keen to note that the measure was not solely for the papal visit, but would be permanent. No more would Rupnik’s mosaics be seen on the exterior of the basilica, and instead artists would be commissioned to design and produce replacement images.
“The mosaics will remain covered after the Holy Father’s pilgrimage, following which a new process of reflection will be launched,” he said. “The current commission will be expanded – notably to include artists and theologians – to consider the future of the basilica’s façade.”
Rupnik’s mosaics have been a prominent feature of the exterior of the basilica at Lourdes since 2008, when the former Jesuit was commissioned to create a series of pieces to mark the 150th anniversary of the Marian apparitions. They portray the Luminous mysteries of the Rosary, and – thanks to their placement on the front of the basilica – are an unescapable part of any visit to Lourdes.
Rupnik himself is alleged to have abused numerous victims in various forms of serial abuse – sexual, spiritual, physical and psychological. The tally includes at least 21 members of the Loyola Community he co-founded; since the case became public in late 2022 a further 15 people have made claims of abuse against him.
This widespread abuse is also said to be intimately linked to his art, according to the testimony of a number of victims. In explicit testimonies, alleged victims stated that Rupnik’s abused was “deeply connected to his conception of art and his theological thinking”.
Armed with this information, Micas convened a committee in April 2023 to decide the future of Rupnik’s works at Lourdes, and two years later several of the larger mosaics on the basilica were covered. At the time, Micas noted his desire to proceed with a more complete covering, and eventual replacement of the mosaics in future years – a decision greatly influenced by meetings the bishop held with abuse victims.
“It has become impossible for victims to come” to Lourdes, said Micas. “My role is to ensure that the Shrine welcomes everyone, especially those who are suffering.”
Expelled by his Jesuit order in July 2023, Rupnik continued to receive signal promotion and favour by the Vatican and also by Pope Francis. His images were a regular feature on the Vatican’s online portals, until Leo XIV quietly ended that policy a month after his election.
After immense public outcry over apparent Vatican inaction, an investigation into Rupnik was opened by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in October 2023, although the trial only began in October. No information has been provided by the Holy See regarding the judges, other than the fact that they are not employees of the Roman Curia and are thus independent to the Vatican machine.
Laura Sgrò, the lawyer representing Rupnik’s alleged victims, recently roundly criticized the Holy See for a lack of transparency over the trial, saying that the individuals she represented have not been summoned to give evidence. Sgrò’s own efforts to contact the DDF have gone unanswered, prompting her to state she is being “fobbed off” by the Vatican.
The covering and eventual removal of Rupnik’s works at Lourdes marks another key development in the gradual change in favour the disgraced priest has experienced in recent years. Micas is committed to his decision, even if Rupnik should somehow be found innocent by the Vatican’s court.
Leo XIV is due to spend just over a day in Lourdes when he visits France at the end of September. He will offer a public Mass on Sunday September 27, before meeting with invalids and their carers, along with participating in the nightly torch-lit Rosary procession.
A meeting with abuse victims is also part of his itinerary, and though no details are provided by the Vatican, Micas said that such an encounter would be held either in Paris or in Lourdes.
Michael Haynes is an English journalist in the Holy See Press Corps. He serves as Vatican Correspondent for the Catholic Herald, while readers can follow him at Per Mariam and on X @MLJHaynes.
