Pope Leo XIV drew an estimated 800,000 people to central Paris on Saturday for a major open-air Mass at the historic Place de la Concorde, with hundreds of thousands more lining the Champs-Élysées for the event.
The Vatican estimated that the crowd was about 200,000 larger than the number of people who had registered in advance, highlighting the scale of the pope’s visit to France.
The 71-year-old pontiff traveled about 2 kilometers in his popemobile along the Champs-Élysées before arriving at Place de la Concorde, where he celebrated Mass before the huge gathering. The location, one of Paris’ most recognizable public spaces, also carries deep historical significance and is closely associated with the French Revolution.
During his homily, Pope Leo encouraged Catholics not to keep their faith private but to share it with others. He spoke about the search for happiness, peace, truth and meaning, presenting Jesus Christ as the source of what he described as “living water.”
The gathering comes as the Catholic Church faces declining attendance and increasing secularization in France and across Europe. Despite those long-term trends, the large turnout showed the continued ability of major Catholic events to attract significant crowds.
The event was also notable for its diverse audience. Alongside practicing Catholics, people of other faiths and non-believers attended, with some participants saying the pope’s messages on issues such as peace, unity and social justice extended beyond religious boundaries.
Pope Leo’s four-day visit to France began with a visit to the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and includes stops in Lourdes and Metz. His trip also includes meetings with abuse survivors and French bishops as the Catholic Church continues to face scrutiny over its handling of clergy sexual-abuse cases.
The Paris Mass was one of the central events of the pope’s first official visit to France, bringing an enormous crowd into the heart of the French capital and placing Catholic faith at the center of public attention.
Swifteradio.com
