Why is Lourdes a symbol of resistance to French secular fanaticism?

In brief

Lourdes became a symbol of resistance against French secularism during the early 1900s. According to Rome Reports, France entered the 20th century in an environment that grew increasingly hostile toward the Church.

The French government sought to establish the nation as a leading model of a secular state in Europe. To support this goal, authorities implemented both national and local laws designed to promote secularism.