Pope Leo XIV received an enthusiastic welcome from hundreds of thousands of faithful in Paris on Saturday, September 26, as he travelled along the Champs-Élysées in the popemobile toward Place de la Concorde to celebrate a major outdoor Mass.
Smiling and waving to the crowds, the Pontiff blessed numerous babies as he made his way through the French capital. Many faithful had arrived hours earlier to secure a place along his route.
According to French authorities, more than 600,000 people attended the Mass, while the Vatican estimated the crowd at 700,000. The gathering stretched as far as the Arc de Triomphe, with large screens allowing those further away to follow the ceremony.
Several prominent French political figures attended the event, including Édouard Philippe, Gabriel Attal, Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. President Emmanuel Macron, who welcomed the Pope upon his arrival in France, was represented by his wife, Brigitte Macron. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was also present.
The Mass formed part of Pope Leo’s four-day visit to three French cities, during which he is addressing challenges facing the Catholic Church, including the consequences of clerical sexual abuse scandals.
During an address at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Friday, the Pope warned that the United Nations and other multilateral organizations were facing a crisis. He also renewed his concerns about artificial intelligence, cautioning against a future in which a “paradise of machines” could take control of the world.
Pope meets newly baptized Catholics
Earlier on Saturday, Pope Leo visited the Catholic University of Paris, where he met newly baptized Catholics and addressed the future of the Church in France.
Although France has experienced a long-term decline in Catholic affiliation, the French Bishops’ Conference has reported an increase in adult baptisms, including a record 21,000 during the most recent Easter celebrations.
However, a report by France’s national statistics institute, INSEE, found that only 25% of French people aged 18 to 49 identified as Catholic, compared with 43% a decade earlier.
Addressing the newly baptized, Pope Leo urged the French Church not to be “naively optimistic” about the recent increase in conversions.
“We must recognize, welcome and protect the small flame that the Holy Spirit has kindled in the darkness of the night, the little seed that struggles to grow even among thorns,” he said.
