Pope Leo XIV drew an estimated 800,000 people to central Paris for an open-air Mass on Sept. 26, turning the Champs-Élysées and Place de la Concorde into the center of a huge gathering during his first official visit to France.
The Vatican said the attendance was about 200,000 higher than the number who had registered in advance. Crowds stretched along the iconic Champs-Élysées as the pope traveled about two kilometres in his popemobile toward Place de la Concorde, where the Mass was celebrated.
Flag-waving crowds cheered as the 71-year-old pontiff passed through the French capital. Many people waited for hours, with some arriving despite light rain to secure places for the service.
During his homily, Leo encouraged Catholics not to keep their faith private but to share it with others. He spoke about people’s search for faith, truth, unity, peace and happiness, urging the crowd to draw on what he described as the “living water” of the Holy Spirit.
The gathering was notable because France is one of Europe’s most secular societies. Catholic participation has declined significantly over the decades, even as the country has recently recorded an increase in adult baptisms. Adult baptisms have reached about 13,000 this year, compared with roughly 4,300 in 2016, although that increase has not reversed the broader decline in religious participation.
Leo’s visit also comes against the backdrop of the Catholic Church’s long-running abuse crisis in France. A 2021 investigation estimated that around 330,000 children had experienced sexual abuse connected to Catholic clergy and lay members over seven decades. During his French trip, Leo is scheduled to meet privately with seven survivors in Lourdes.
The choice of Place de la Concorde also carried historical and political symbolism. The square, one of Paris’s most recognizable public spaces, was an execution site during the French Revolution, including the guillotine executions of King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette. It has since become closely associated with France’s republican identity and major national celebrations.
The decision to hold the Mass there was not universally welcomed. Supporters of France’s strict secular tradition questioned the use of a prominent republican space for a major Catholic ceremony, while organizers said the location was the only suitable central Paris site capable of accommodating such a large crowd.
The Mass formed the centerpiece of Leo’s four-day visit to France, which began on Sept. 25 and includes stops in Paris, Lourdes and Metz. His schedule has combined religious events with meetings on social and global issues, including artificial intelligence, human dignity and peace.
Leo’s visit to Paris also produced another major gathering the previous evening, when around 80,000 young people attended a vigil at France’s national stadium. The pope’s first day in the country also included a visit to the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral.
The extraordinary turnout at Place de la Concorde highlights the continuing ability of the papacy to draw large public gatherings even in countries where regular religious participation has declined. For Leo, the Paris Mass provided one of the most visible moments of his French journey and placed his message of faith, peace and human dignity before one of the largest crowds of his young pontificate.
