—
At just 13 years old, Eva Molenmaker had the opportunity to portray St. Bernadette and sing before Pope Leo XIV during his visit to Lourdes. The young girl described the moment as a “unique experience.”
Eva is from Fuveau, a town near Aix-en-Provence, France, and is part of the cast of the musical Bernadette de Lourdes, in which she portrays the young saint to whom the Virgin Mary appeared at the Grotto of Massabielle in 1858.
To mark Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, the musical returned to the city where it was created. Eva performed two songs from the show for the Holy Father during his meeting with the sick, their caregivers, and volunteers from the Accueil Notre-Dame in Lourdes.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by ChurchPOP (@churchpop)
“It Was Simply Incredible”
In an interview with EWTN News, the young artist described what it was like to sing before Pope Leo XIV.
“It’s incredible. It’s a unique experience. There’s nothing like it. Being able to sing in front of him was simply incredible,” she said.
Portraying St. Bernadette also meant balancing rehearsals with her studies. Eva explained that she sometimes had to miss classes to fulfill her commitments, but she had the support of her friends.
“Sometimes I had to study and miss some classes, but my friends helped me catch up. I studied every day and received a lot of help,” she recounted.
“I Want to Touch People’s Hearts”
Despite her young age, Eva already knows what she would like to do in the future. When asked what she hopes to do later on, she expressed her desire to continue singing.
“I hope to sing for people and touch their hearts,” she said.
For the talented young performer, the encounter with Leo XIV will remain one of the most special moments of her portrayal of St. Bernadette.
