PARIS, France | Hundreds of thousands of people filled the Champs-Élysées on Saturday as Pope Leo XIV rode through central Paris in the popemobile ahead of an outdoor Mass, with chants of “Leo” and “Long live the Pope” echoing along the famed avenue.
Reuters reported that the crowd stretched about 2.2 kilometers from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe as people waved white and yellow flags and gathered behind security barriers for a view of the pontiff. The Vatican estimated that about 700,000 people turned out for the Mass, while more than 600,000 had registered to attend.
Leo frequently stopped the open-top vehicle to greet the crowd, blessing babies, children and people with disabilities who were brought forward by volunteers, Reuters reported. The procession formed the centerpiece of the largest public event of his four-day visit to France.
The Mass was held at the Place de la Concorde and along the Champs-Élysées, locations selected by the Paris Archdiocese for their symbolic importance. Vatican News said the Paris events were expected to draw hundreds of thousands of faithful, while the Diocese of Paris had earlier anticipated about 500,000 attendees.
The massive turnout came as Leo continued his first papal visit to France, running from September 25 to 28 and taking him to Paris, Lourdes and Metz. The Vatican said the journey carries the theme “That the world may have life” and includes meetings with civil authorities, young people, migrants, newly baptized Catholics and Church leaders.
On Friday, Leo became the first pope to enter Notre-Dame Cathedral since the devastating April 2019 fire. The cathedral reopened in December 2024 after a major restoration effort. During Vespers, Leo described Notre-Dame as more than a monument, saying its reconstruction demonstrated the strength of a collective effort and the continuity between France’s past and future.
The pope also attended a prayer vigil with about 80,000 young people at the Stade de France on Friday evening, according to Vatican News. The gathering was one of the major events of his first day in the country.
The Paris visit comes as the Catholic Church in France continues to confront the legacy of clerical sexual abuse. Reuters reported that the pope is scheduled to meet seven survivors in Lourdes on Sunday, following a 2021 independent report that documented widespread abuse in French Catholic institutions over several decades.
France has also undergone a long-term decline in Catholic affiliation since World War II. Reuters cited national statistics showing that 25% of French people aged 18 to 49 identified as Catholic, down from 43% a decade earlier, although the French Bishops’ Conference has reported an increase in adult baptisms, including about 21,000 during the Easter period this year.
Leo is scheduled to continue his journey in Lourdes before traveling to Metz, where he will address issues involving Europe, peace and unity before returning to Rome on Monday.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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