What happened
An estimated 700,000 people gathered in central Paris to attend an open-air Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV. The event took place on the Place de la Concorde, where the Pope praised the enthusiasm and commitment of young people to the Catholic Church. The Pope rode down the Champs-Élysées Avenue in his open-topped popemobile, waving to crowds before the Mass.
The Pope's speech emphasized the importance of sharing one's faith with others and described young people as the Church of today. He also met with migrants and volunteers at the Maison Bakhita centre, praising the organization for its work with refugees. The Pope's visit to France is expected to draw large crowds, with 150,000 people signed up to attend a Mass in Lourdes on Sunday.
Several senior politicians attended the Mass, including French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron. The Pope's visit to France includes a trip to the town of Lourdes and the city of Metz, where he will pay tribute to Robert Schuman, a founding father of the European Union.
