Pope Leo XIV led an open-air Mass on Saturday in central Paris, with the Vatican estimating 800,000 attendees at the event.
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Pope Leo XIV held an open-air Mass in central Paris on Saturday, drawing a crowd that the Vatican estimated at 800,000 people, according to figures released for the event.
The ceremony brought hundreds of thousands of attendees to the Champs-Élysées area and the route leading to Place de la Concorde, a prominent square closely associated with France’s republican identity. Organizers estimated the Mass required the central-area location to accommodate the size of the gathering.
Following an open-air parade by popemobile, the pope continued along a roughly 2-kilometre route to the Mass at Place de la Concorde, described as the heart of Paris. Vatican officials said the turnout exceeded pre-registration by about 200,000 people.
In his homily, Leo urged the crowd not to keep faith private, asking that it “let it overflow, so that those you meet may be refreshed and their thirst satisfied.” He also said he prayed for the “living water of the Holy Spirit” to flow throughout France.
The Vatican and participants described the atmosphere as broadly welcoming beyond Catholic circles. The event featured a mix of people of multiple faiths and those who said they were not affiliated with any religion, with the pope greeting crowds as he travelled.
The Mass drew visible support across generations. Families brought babies and young children, who were brought forward for the pope to bless as he moved slowly past in the popemobile.
The pope’s four-day visit to France included a Friday start at the restored Notre Dame, the first papal visit to the cathedral since a 2019 fire. On Saturday, the schedule also included a trip to Lourdes in southern France for a visit to one of the Catholic Church’s most visited shrines.
On Saturday morning at the Catholic Institute of Paris, Leo told attendees that he was surprised by the number of new converts in recent years. He said the faithful should “recognize, welcome and protect the small flame” of the Holy Spirit “even amid the thorns,” using language that referenced the challenge of living faith in a secular world.
The pope’s remarks connected with reported baptism trends in France. Adult baptisms in France have tripled since 2016, reaching 13,000 in the current year, though overall figures remain down compared with earlier decades. In 1980, the total number of baptisms in France was reported at 513,000, while in 2024 it was 186,000.
Place de la Concorde provided a historic backdrop for the Mass. The square served as an execution site during the French Revolution, when Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were guillotined there, and it has since been treated as a symbol of the Republic.
For many observers, the choice of site also intersects with the role of religion in a country that is officially secular. The 1905 law separating church and state has shaped debate about public religious events, and some supporters of strict secularism criticized the selection of Place de la Concorde as the setting for the Mass.
In addition to religious and civic symbolism, the square has recently hosted major public events. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, it was used for break dance, skateboarding, BMX and 3X3 basketball events, reflecting its capacity for large crowds and international attention.
The Mass marked a new chapter for the square’s contemporary history, with an elevated stage topped by a golden cross and areas prepared for choirs, clergy and others to pray under the pope’s gaze.
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