Pope Leo XIV attracted an estimated 800,000 attendees to a large open-air Mass in Paris on Saturday. He encouraged Catholics to share their faith openly in a society he described as increasingly secularized. The event filled the historic Champs-Élysées and Place de la Concorde.
Traveling through Paris in the popemobile, Pope Leo journeyed approximately 1.2 miles before conducting the Mass. The Vatican’s attendance estimate exceeded advance registrations by about 200,000 people. Crowds, including families with young children, lined the streets, eagerly reaching toward the popemobile as the pontiff passed by.
Pope Leo XIV blesses a child as he navigates the Champs-Élysées on his way to the Mass. According to Vatican News, he observed the gathering as the ‘heirs of France’s long and beautiful history of faith’ and encouraged Catholics to share this heritage with others.
Leo urged attendees to let their faith overflow and refresh those they encounter, invoking the Holy Spirit’s ‘living water’ to flow throughout France. This message resonated amidst a country known for a strict tradition of secularism.
The location of Place de la Concorde has historical significance, having been an execution site during the French Revolution where King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were guillotined. The choice faced criticism from supporters of secularism.
His visit coincides with a notable rise in adult conversions in France, despite a long-term decline in overall Catholic engagement. Annual adult baptisms have tripled since 2016, reaching 13,000 this year, though overall baptisms have decreased from 513,000 in 1980 to 186,000 in 2024.
The scale of reception was evident Friday night as 80,000 young people attended a vigil at France’s national stadium. The event featured fireworks and a theatrical recounting of France’s Catholic history.
Pope Leo praised the courage and presence of attendees, declaring them ‘the saints of France.’
Saturday’s Mass highlighted France’s Catholic heritage, invoking the imagery of ‘living water’ to describe how Jesus could fulfill desires for life, truth, and peace. He praised ongoing efforts for life, family, truth, and fraternity.
Pope Leo’s four-day visit began with a visit to the restored Notre Dame Cathedral, marking the first pope to do so since the 2019 fire. He also traveled to Lourdes, a major pilgrimage site.