Hundreds of Thousands Turn Out for Pope Leo's Popemobile Parade Along Champs-Élysées Ahead of Mass
Organizers said more than 600,000 people registered for the Mass as Leo urged French Catholics to persevere in a secular society.
- On Saturday, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, where more than 600,000 people registered to attend the outdoor service in central Paris.
- Critics of the venue choice argued that the Place de la Concorde represents the Republic and secularism, suggesting the Invalides—where Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass before 240,000 people in 2008—would have been more appropriate.
- Parisian start-up entrepreneur Thierry Chen said the event 'reminds people of what is really important in life,' while fervent Catholic Leontine Joseph noted Pope Leo's message 'goes well beyond Catholic people; he speaks about social justice, for example.'
- Pope Leo encouraged new converts to persevere in their faith 'even amid the thorns' of a secular world, yet experts caution that this year's 13,000 adult baptisms, while triple the 2016 rate, do not reverse the overall generational decline in practicing French Catholics.
- Following Saturday's Mass, Pope Leo travels to the Catholic shrine at Lourdes, where he is scheduled to meet with survivors of clergy sexual abuse as the final leg of his four-day French visit.
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42 Articles
In Paris, hundreds of thousands of people have gathered for an open-air mass held by Pope Leo. According to the organizers, 600,000 people have registered for it. 2,400 priests and about 100 bishops are also attending the mass. The mass is being held at the Place de la Concorde, where the Pope drove in his popemobile, through a cheering crowd on the Champs-Élysées. Livestream The Pope's open-air mass can be followed live on NOS. Watch the stre…
About 600,000 believers are expected Saturday on Champs-Elysées, at a huge job that Pope Leon XIV officiates Saturday afternoon in Place de la Concorde, Paris, on the next day of a visit to France, which generates widespread popular enthusiasm, reports AFP.
Pope Leo XIV began on Saturday to descend the Champs-Elysées under the acclaim of an immense crowd of faithful, to reach the Place de la Concorde, where a giant mass will take place.
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CFJC Today KamloopsHundreds of thousands turn out for Pope Leo’s popemobile parade along Champs-Élysées ahead of Mass
PARIS (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of people packed Paris’ iconic Champs-Élysées avenue for Pope Leo XIV’s big outdoor Mass on Saturday, a sign of the Catholic Church’s enduring appeal in the once staunchly Catholic but officially secular country. ...
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