Pope Leo XIV Draws 700,000 to Open-Air Mass in Central Paris
An estimated 700,000 people turned out in central Paris for Pope Leo XIV's outdoor Mass, with the pontiff urging the faithful not to keep their faith to themselves.
Hundreds of thousands of people filled the Champs-Élysées on Saturday for Pope Leo XIV's open-air Mass in central Paris, in a striking show of the Catholic Church's continued appeal in a country that is officially secular and has seen churchgoing fall sharply in recent decades.
The Vatican put the crowd at 700,000, higher than the 600,000 who had registered in advance. The Mass was celebrated at the Place de la Concorde, a square at the symbolic heart of the French republic.
Before the service, the American pope travelled roughly two kilometres along the grand avenue in his popemobile, greeting flag-waving and cheering crowds. The atmosphere was described as party-like, drawing people of multiple faiths and none, and spanning generations. Dozens of babies and young children were brought forward from the crowd for the pope to caress on the head as he passed slowly by.
In his homily, Leo urged those present not to keep their faith to themselves. "Let it overflow, so that those you meet may be refreshed and their thirst satisfied," he said.
He also reflected on the human search for fulfilment, telling the congregation that nothing in the world can fully satisfy them and that only God can fill the emptiness within. He asked them to examine what they truly seek in life, warning against contentment with material goods, immediate satisfactions and what he called the countless little idols that promise everything but leave the heart empty.
"From this beautiful city of Paris, I pray fervently that the living water of the Holy Spirit may flow throughout France," he said.
The liturgy included the celebration of Holy Communion. Worshippers were seen kneeling in prayer along the Champs-Élysées, where some followed the Mass on giant screens, and others received the Eucharist from priests.
As the pope left the podium, he waved to the crowd, which applauded, cheered, chanted "Papa Leone" and waved flags.
A large security operation shut down central Paris to road traffic for the event.