Huge crowds filled the Champs-Élysées for Pope Leo XIV’s largest French event, as the first American pope urged Catholics to seek meaning through faith rather than material wealth.
An estimated 700,000 people gathered in central Paris on September 26 for an outdoor Mass led by Pope Leo XIV, creating the biggest public event of his four-day visit to France. Crowds lined the Champs-Élysées as the pope travelled in an open-top popemobile before celebrating Mass at Place de la Concorde. His visit combines religious events with messages about peace, artificial intelligence, global cooperation and the Catholic Church’s response to its abuse crisis.
Paris became the centre of global Catholic attention on Saturday as hundreds of thousands of people gathered to see Pope Leo XIV during his first major visit to France.
The crowd stretched along the famous Champs-Élysées, with people waving Vatican flags and chanting the pope’s name as Leo travelled through the French capital in an open-top popemobile.
The Vatican estimated the attendance at around 700,000 people. More than 600,000 had registered before the event, while additional people gathered along the route.
A Huge Welcome in Central Paris
Leo’s motorcade moved along the roughly two-kilometre stretch between the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde, where the outdoor Mass was held.
The pope repeatedly stopped to greet people along the route. Volunteers brought children and people with disabilities forward, allowing Leo to bless them as the crowd watched.
Chants including “Leo, Leo” and “Long live the Pope” echoed through the avenue, while white and yellow Vatican flags were visible throughout the crowd.
Leo’s Message About Faith and Happiness
During the Mass, Pope Leo focused on the idea that lasting happiness cannot be found simply through material possessions or wealth.
He encouraged Catholics to place their faith at the centre of their lives, arguing that spiritual fulfilment offers something that material success cannot provide.
His message came during a visit designed not only to celebrate Catholic faith but also to address the challenges facing the Church in modern France.
Why France Matters to
France has deep historical connections with Catholicism, but the country is now strongly secular. The separation between church and state has been legally established since 1905, while religious affiliation has declined significantly over the decades.
Data from France’s national statistics agency, INSEE, cited by Reuters, showed that 25% of people aged 18 to 49 identified as Catholic, compared with 43% a decade earlier. At the same time, the French Catholic Church has reported an increase in adult baptisms, including a record 21,000 during the most recent Easter period.
Leo has therefore used the visit to encourage the French Church to recognise new interest in Catholicism while avoiding what he described as excessive optimism.
Young Catholics Fill France’s Largest Stadium
The Paris Mass followed another major gathering involving young Catholics. Around 80,000 young people attended a prayer vigil with Leo at the Stade de France on Friday night.
The stadium event brought together young people from different parts of France, including students, workers and young professionals. The programme included testimonies, music, religious performances and a meeting with the pope.
The size of both gatherings has drawn attention because they come during a period when religious affiliation among younger French adults has declined.
The Pope’s Message Goes Beyond Religion
Leo’s France visit has also included discussions about issues extending beyond Church affairs. At UNESCO in Paris, he warned that international organisations and multilateral cooperation are facing a period of crisis.
Artificial intelligence has been another major theme. The pope has repeatedly called for international discussion about the development of AI and its effect on human dignity, work and society. During his France visit, he warned about the possibility of technology becoming too dominant in human life.
His comments place technology alongside peace, international cooperation and human dignity as subjects the Catholic Church intends to address in the modern world.
The Abuse Crisis Remains Part of the Visit
The enormous crowds in Paris are also arriving against the background of a painful crisis for the French Catholic Church.
A landmark 2021 investigation estimated that around 330,000 children were abused by Catholic clergy and lay figures in France over a period of seven decades. The findings caused widespread shock and severely damaged confidence in Church institutions.
Leo is scheduled to meet seven French survivors of clergy abuse in Lourdes on Sunday. The meeting is one of the most significant elements of the trip because the Church continues to face demands for accountability and stronger protection of children.
A Visit With Wider European Significance
Leo’s journey is not limited to Paris. The four-day visit covers three French cities and includes Lourdes before concluding in Metz, near the German border.
In Metz, the pope is expected to speak about Europe's historical roots, peace and unity. The location is significant because Metz was associated with Robert Schuman, one of the founding figures of European integration.
The trip therefore combines traditional religious ceremonies with broader messages about European cooperation, peace, technology and the future of international institutions.
What the Paris Crowd Reveals
The turnout does not erase the long-term decline in religious affiliation in France. But the scale of the Paris gathering demonstrates that Catholicism continues to command substantial public participation, particularly when a major papal event brings people together.
The challenge for Leo and the French Church is what happens after the crowds leave. The pope's visit is taking place at a moment when the Church is attempting to rebuild trust, engage younger generations and respond to questions about its role in a secular society.
Pope Leo XIV’s 700,000-person Paris gathering has become the defining moment of his France visit, combining a remarkable public display of Catholic participation with a much broader conversation about faith, technology, peace and the future of the Church.
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