Pope Leo XIV on Sunday criticized the legalization of assisted dying as an immoral example of "false compassion," urging respect for the inherent dignity of human life amid France's recent passage of such legislation.

Speaking to thousands of sick pilgrims and caregivers at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, the pope said no human law should undermine the certainty of personal dignity. "It is precisely in the name of this inalienable dignity of the human person that we must reject the temptation to cause death under the guise of false compassion," he stated, drawing applause from the crowd.

Leo added that causing death cannot be viewed as normal. "What is legal is not necessarily moral," he emphasized. The remarks came on the third day of his four-day apostolic journey to France, where parliament approved assisted dying measures earlier this summer.

The legislation permits adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication in certain cases, making France the fifth European country to enact such rules after Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Spain. French Catholic bishops had strongly opposed the bill during its debate.

The American-born pope, who previously voiced disappointment over similar laws in his home state of Illinois, reinforced Catholic teaching that protects life from conception to natural death. He encouraged those suffering from pain not to lose hope in their dignity, which no law or algorithm can eliminate.

Leo also warned against trends that turn medicine into a servant of programmed death, stressing the vocation of healthcare workers to care for the suffering rather than eliminate them. His comments align with longstanding Church opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The visit to Lourdes, a site associated with miraculous cures, highlighted the theme of life's sanctity during the pope's trip, which carries the motto "That the world may have life."