From prostitution in the Bois de Boulogne to Lourdes

Isidore is not an actor. His story, featured in the documentary film simply called Lourdes recently released in French cinemas, is true. In the first few minutes of the movie, we see Isidore applying women’s make-up and wait for a client in the Bois de Boulogne, a Parisian park known for its prostitutes. These images might upset the viewers, set against the backdrop of such a sacred place. Paradoxically, they are among the most impactful, as Isidore's piety is utterly moving.

Isidore’s way of the cross began as a teenager when he ran away from an abusive father, leaving Portugal to go to France. There, his only connections were in the street. A string of bad encounters led him into the sordid nets of prostitution. The only light in the night was his faith, inherited from his devout mother. He once was an altar boy but he had to serve Mass barefoot. “It was the priest who gave me some sandals," he says. The Chapel of apparitions at the Rue du Bac in Paris (St Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal) became his place of escape.

Then, in the 80s, he had a strong spiritual experience in his room in Pigalle (the red-light district in Paris), which he prefers not to share because it's too intimate. "This encounter with Christ shocked me. Participating in this documentary about Lourdes was my way of witnessing the wonders that occur there," he says.

"Some parishioners have praised me for being brave. For me it was a natural thing to do." Isidore is now 66 and spends most of his time at the Sacred Heart Basilica in Montmartre (Paris), where he is a regular adorer of the Blessed Sacrament. "I take refuge in the Lord. I search the Holy Scriptures to hear what He wants to tell me. I ask Him and Mary to help me become better. My life is in their hands.”

Aleteia