World
'Scourge' of abuse must be rooted out, says Pope, during Lourdes visit
Pope Leo spoke to bishops before leading a service attended by thousands of worshippers in France.
BBC World•
Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered to hear the Pope speak during a four-day visit to France
Pope Leo has called on French bishops to root out the "scourge" of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic church, telling them to "maintain the greatest vigilance", ahead of a meeting with abuse survivors.
The Pope delivered the message to bishops during a private meeting at the Sanctuary of Our Holy Lady of Lourdes, a holy site in southern France, on the third day of his four-day official visit to France.
Huge crowds cheered and waved as he rode down the Champs-Élysées Avenue greeting followers from his open-topped popemobile.