On Saturday, the Champs-Élysées avenue and the Place de la Concorde public square in Paris were filled with an estimated 700,000 people who came to see Pope Leo XIV celebrate an open-air Mass. This was the largest event of his four-day visit to France, which marked his first official papal trip to the country. Before the service, the 71-year-old Pope rode down the avenue in his open-top "popemobile" and waved to crowds pressed tightly against security barriers.
As Pope Leo XIV made his way to the stage at Place de la Concorde, he stopped often to bless babies and people with disabilities in the front ranks of the crowd. The service was accompanied by a choir and organ music, and the Pope urged Catholics to seek happiness in faith rather than material things. He emphasized the importance of coming together to glorify God, saying, "It is truly good and pleasant when brothers and sisters come together and glorify the greatness of God."
Many attendees, including families with young children, had been waiting for hours to catch a glimpse of the Pope. Some lifted children onto their shoulders to watch the large screens that dotted the tree-lined avenue, while others sat quietly on the pavement, heads bowed, listening to his voice echo from massive speakers. Volunteers wearing yellow t-shirts helped lost onlookers find their way in the crowded area.
For many volunteers, attending the Mass was a way to put the Church's values into practice. Angèle, a member of the French Scouts organisation, had arrived from Rouen in Normandy to help out. She handed out French and Vatican flags and helped lost onlookers orient themselves in the crowd. Frédéric, a 60-year-old volunteer, had also helped out at previous Catholic events and saw this as an opportunity to be of service.
The Mass was also an opportunity for attendees to express their faith and connect with others. Marie Madeleine and Marie Élisabeth, two nuns from France's Burgundy region, attended the Mass and said it was a way for them to proudly declare their Christianity. They hoped that the Pope's visit could bring meaning and positivity to those who were stuck in an individualistic mindset.
For some attendees, the Mass was a chance to experience something historic and memorable. Emmanuelle, a 36-year-old US Protestant, brought her two daughters to the Mass and said it was important for her to experience it for herself. Her daughter Olivia was delighted to see "someone important we usually see on the telly" and even asked a question that had been on her mind: "Why isn't the Pope ever a woman?"
The Pope's visit also provided an opportunity for attendees to reflect on their faith and how to deepen their relationship with God. Kate, a young woman from the northeastern suburbs of Paris, hoped that the Pope's message would inspire her to create a more "intimate" relationship with God. For Tristan, Louis-Calixte, and Alice, the Mass was a chance to celebrate their faith and share it with others, highlighting that Catholicism in France is often a "hidden" part of life.
Key points
- An estimated 700,000 people attended Pope Leo XIV's open-air Mass in Paris.
- The Mass was the largest event of the Pope's four-day visit to France.
- The Pope's visit provided an opportunity for attendees to reflect on their faith and connect with others.
