Pope Leo XIV travelled along the Champs-Élysées in a “popemobile” on Saturday, celebrating an open-air Mass before hundreds of thousands in Paris during his four-day visit to France. This marks the first official papal visit to the country in nearly 20 years.
The 71-year-old pontiff led a service at Place de la Concorde, where a large canopy served as a makeshift altar. “It is truly good and pleasant when brothers and sisters come together and glorify the greatness of God,” he said, dressed in white vestments.
An estimated 800,000 people attended the event, stretching over two kilometres past the Arc de Triomphe, according to the Vatican. The city centre was secured for the occasion, with helicopters monitoring the event and snipers stationed on rooftops.
“I dropped everything to come here and see him, to pray for peace in the east” of her native Democratic Republic of Congo, said Aline Riziki, 41, who has lived in France for 11 years.
Jeanne de Montagnac, 29, attended the Mass with her husband and young daughter. “It’s an important moment for us to be surrounded by others with faith,” she remarked.
Several presidential candidates were present, including far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Edouard Philippe. President Emmanuel Macron was represented by his wife, Brigitte.
Later, Pope Leo will meet with seven victims of clerical sexual abuse, as a 2021 inquiry revealed that about 330,000 people were abused by clergy or lay members of the Church in France over the past 70 years.
Earlier in the day, he met migrants at Maison Bakhita, an association supporting refugees, emphasising the importance of dignity and peace. He also urged respect for women’s fundamental role in building a civil society. The pope’s visit aims to deliver a message ahead of France’s presidential elections in April and May.
On Friday, the pontiff had already drawn a crowd of around 300,000 as he waved from his “popemobile” en route to Notre Dame Cathedral. “There is a sense of fervour reminiscent of that experienced over 40 years ago with John Paul II,” noted François Mabille, director of the Geopolitical Observatory on Religion.
In the evening, Pope Leo flew to Lourdes, where he prayed at the Grotto of Massabielle, a site believed to be where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858.
He prayed for “wise and generous leaders” for France, asking for her voice to be heard in promoting human rights and peace. Pope Leo is the third pope to visit Lourdes, following Benedict XVI in 2008 and John Paul II in 1983 and 2004. The sanctuary is a major pilgrimage destination, attracting around three million visitors annually, with many reporting miraculous healings.
