Pope Leo XIV led an open-air mass at Place de la Concorde in Paris on September 26, 2026, as part of his four-day trip to France. The mass was attended by hundreds of thousands of people, with a giant white canopy erected as a makeshift altar. The 71-year-old pope was dressed in white liturgical vestments and delivered a prayer accompanied by choral and organ music. The event was a highlight of his visit to France, a secular country with deep Catholic roots.
The mass was attended by approximately 800,000 people, who gathered along a route of over two kilometers. The city centre was sealed off for the service, with helicopters circling overhead and snipers positioned on rooftops. Worshippers expressed their enthusiasm and devotion, with Aline Riziki, a 41-year-old woman from the Democratic Republic of Congo, stating that she had "dropped everything to come here and see him, to pray for peace in the east" of her homeland.
The pope's visit to France is the first official papal visit in nearly two decades. During his trip, he met with migrants at Maison Bakhita, an association supporting refugees. The pope emphasized the importance of living together in dignity and peace, and stressed the "fundamental role of women in building a civilisation of love". The association noted that the pope's visit sent a "message" ahead of the April-May election.
Several high-profile figures attended the mass, including far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Edouard Philippe. President Emmanuel Macron did not attend but was represented by his wife Brigitte. On Sunday, Pope Leo is scheduled to speak with seven victims of clerical sex abuse. A 2021 inquiry found that clergy or lay members of the Church had abused about 330,000 people as minors in France over seven decades.
Earlier in the day, an estimated 300,000 people turned out to see the pontiff as he waved from his popemobile on the way to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Francois Mabille, director of the Geopolitical Observatory on Religion, noted that there was a sense of fervour reminiscent of that experienced over 40 years ago with John Paul II.
Pope Leo XIV later flew to Lourdes, a southwestern pilgrimage town, where he landed in the early evening. He was scheduled to pray at the Grotto of Massabielle, a renowned pilgrimage site where Catholic tradition holds that the Virgin Mary appeared in 1858 to a peasant girl. Bells rang at the sanctuary when he landed, and children held up a banner reading "Welcome, Pope Leo".
The pope's visit to Lourdes marked the final leg of his four-day trip to France. The trip is seen as significant, particularly with the April-May election approaching. The pope's message of dignity and peace is expected to resonate with the French people, and his visit is being closely watched by politicians and citizens alike.
Key points
- The pope's visit to France is the first official papal visit in nearly two decades.
- Pope Leo XIV held an open-air mass at Place de la Concorde in Paris, attended by approximately 800,000 people.
- The pope is scheduled to speak with seven victims of clerical sex abuse on Sunday.
