Pope Leo Set for Largest Event of France Tour as Paris Crowds Swell
The Vatican said 700,000 people gathered for the service, as Leo’s France trip highlights church renewal amid abuse scandals.
- Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at Place de la Concorde in Paris on Saturday, drawing an estimated 700,000 people, exceeding the 600,000 who registered in advance.
- Organizers faced criticism from secularism supporters for choosing Place de la Concorde, designed in the 18th century as a French Revolution execution site, with critics arguing the Invalides would have been more appropriate.
- Adult baptisms in France have tripled since 2016 to 13,000 this year, though long-term trends show decline; entrepreneur Thierry Chen noted the event reminds people of "what is really important in life."
- During his homily, Pope Leo encouraged French Catholics to persevere in their faith "even amid the thorns" and prayed that the "living water of the Holy Spirit" may flow throughout France.
- Pope Leo will continue his four-day visit by praying at the Catholic shrine at Lourdes after Paris, following his prayer service Friday at the restored Notre Dame Cathedral, the first papal prayer there since its 2019 fire.
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276 Articles
A popular enthusiasm accompanies the first visit of a Pontiff to Paris since Benedict XVI in 2008
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Place de la Concorde, in the centre of Paris, to attend the Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV on an altar mounted at the entrance of the Avenue of the Champs-Élysées. The celebration, attended by numerous faithful and religious and political authorities, was the highlight of the second and last day of the Pope's visit to Paris.
In France, with the exception of some regions in the East, there is a strict separation of church and state. Nevertheless, there is great enthusiasm for the Pope's visit. This was also demonstrated by the enormous crowd at a Holy Mass with Pope Leo XIV in the centre of Paris on Saturday. The head of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide was received by 700,000 believers – about 100,000 more than announced.
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