French authorities ban SSPX processions in Lourdes

Sibylle Samoyault, the prefect of the Hautes-Pyrénées department, has prohibited the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) from holding planned processions through the streets of Lourdes on October 24 and 25, 2026. The ban, cited as a response to a “terrorist threat,” follows previous restrictions placed on the group.

This decision marks a second significant setback for the SSPX pilgrimage. Earlier this summer, Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes barred the group from offering Masses, sacraments, and public prayers within the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, citing the Vatican’s excommunication of six SSPX bishops.

While the group is currently prohibited from public liturgical activity inside the sanctuary, the new prefectural decree specifically targets public movement in the streets. Authorities stated that the high visibility of street processions poses a security risk, noting that “the Catholic community has been and remains one of the privileged targets of terrorism.” The prefecture suggested that religious devotion is better protected within the sanctuary grounds, which are equipped with permanent security measures such as video surveillance and anti-ramming bollards.