Pope Leo Draws Hundreds of Thousands in Paris for Largest Event of France Visit

PARIS: Pope Leo XIV drew an estimated 800,000 people to an outdoor Mass in Paris on Saturday, marking the largest event of his four-day visit to France. Crowds stretched along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées as the Pope arrived in an open-top popemobile.

The faithful gathered along the approximately two-kilometre route from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe, waving Vatican flags and chanting in support of the Pope. Leo stopped repeatedly to bless children, babies and people with disabilities who were brought forward by volunteers.

In his homily, Pope Leo urged Catholics to seek happiness through faith rather than material possessions, telling the congregation that faith could provide meaning and fulfilment. The Mass formed a central part of his three-city tour of France.

The visit comes as the Catholic Church continues efforts to address the impact of clergy abuse scandals in France. Pope Leo is scheduled to travel to Lourdes later on Saturday, where he will meet seven French survivors of clergy abuse on Sunday.

Earlier in the visit, the Pope addressed UNESCO in Paris, warning that international institutions and multilateral organisations were facing a crisis. He also called for greater consideration of the implications of artificial intelligence and its potential impact on humanity.

Pope Leo also met newly baptised Catholics at the Catholic University of Paris and urged the French Church to remain realistic about the recent increase in adult baptisms. Official statistics cited by Reuters indicate that 25% of French people aged 18 to 49 identified as Catholic, compared with 43% a decade earlier.

The Pope’s France tour will continue with his visit to Lourdes before concluding in Metz, where he is expected to address issues concerning peace and Europe.