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Pope Leo Draws 800,000 to Paris Mass
Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open-air Mass in Paris, drawing an estimated 800,000 people.
An estimated 800,000 people gathered at the Place de la Concorde in Paris for Pope Leo XIV's open-air Mass on Saturday, September 26, 2026. The event, which began with a 1.2-mile parade along the Champs-Élysées, marked the second day of the pope's four-day apostolic journey to France.
Pope Leo XIV addressed the congregation, emphasizing the importance of faith and unity. He said, “From this beautiful city of Paris, I pray fervently that the living water of the Holy Spirit may flow throughout France.”
The pope's message resonated with a diverse crowd, including families with children, elderly women, and young adults. Jean Noizet, a father of five, said the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the pope was worth the challenges of the journey and waiting hours with young children.
Pope Leo XIV also appealed to AI developers and political leaders to slow down the development of artificial intelligence. This appeal was met with a positive response from several top AI companies.
The pope's visit to Paris included a stop at the restored Notre Dame Cathedral, the first by a pope since the 2019 fire. He also visited the Catholic Institute of Paris, where he expressed surprise at the number of new converts registered in recent years.
The massive turnout caught local authorities by surprise, leading to the opening of two overflow sites to accommodate the larger-than-expected crowds. The Archdiocese of Paris had initially estimated the attendance to be around 600,000.
The event was a powerful reminder of the enduring appeal of Catholicism in France, a country that has traditionally been secular. The scale of the Mass sent a message about the vibrancy of Catholicism, with more than 700,000 people lining the Champs-Élysées to catch a glimpse of the pope.
Pope Leo XIV's visit to France also included a youth vigil at the Stade de France and vespers at Notre-Dame. His packed schedule reflects the significance of his visit and the enthusiasm of the French people.
The pope's decision to decline full state honors during his visit to France, opting for a simpler apostolic journey, underscores his focus on the spiritual and communal aspects of his visit.
The event was not just a religious gathering but also a social and cultural one, drawing people of multiple faiths and no faith at all. Thierry Chen, a Parisian startup entrepreneur, noted that the event reminded people of what is truly important in life.
Pope Leo XIV's visit to France highlights the resurgence of interest in Christianity among young adults, driven in part by the uncertainty they feel about the state of the world.
What this adds
The estimated attendance of 800,000 people at Pope Leo XIV's Mass in Paris is significantly higher than the 250,000 people who attended Pope Benedict XVI's Mass in Paris in 2008.
The last pope to ride down the Champs-Élysées for a Mass was St. John Paul II in 1980, during a state visit.
Background
Pope Leo XIV declines full state honors during his visit to France, opting for a simpler apostolic journey.
The Pope's packed schedule in Paris also includes a visit to UNESCO, vespers at Notre-Dame, a youth vigil at the Stade de France, and a Mass at the Place de la Concorde, expected to draw a record-breaking crowd of over 600,000 people.
What's confirmed
- “From this beautiful city of Paris, I pray fervently that the living water of the Holy Spirit may flow throughout France,” Leo said in his homily.
- “Seeing you gathered here … heirs to France’s long and beautiful history of faith, I say to you: Drink from the source that is the pierced heart of Jesus,” he said.
What's still developing
- According to the Vatican, 300 000 people cheered the pontiff as he passed through the streets of Paris in his popemobile.
- PARIS — Pope Leo XIV told his congregation at an open-air Mass in Paris on Saturday that “none of us is merely a number or an entry in a register but a unique and irreplaceable person” in the eyes of God.
- Numerous families with children sprawled on picnic blankets, babies slept in strollers, and gray-haired women sat in camp chairs as they waited for Mass to start.
- A young family waits for Pope Leo XIV’s open-air Mass to begin on Sept. 26, 2026, in Paris. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News Once the site of one of the guillotines that decapitated more than 1,000 people during the French Revolution, including King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette, the square was bathed in sunlight, the thick clouds of the morning having parted only 10 minutes before the start of Mass.
- “We wanted the kids to have the blessing of the pope, and we wanted to share the moment with the rest of the community of Catholics,” he said, noting that his daughter was delighted and shouted “Pape Leon” when she saw him.
- With tired kids, he was unsure they would be able to stay for the entire Mass, which started at 3 p.m. local time.
- Jean Noizet, his parents, and five siblings ages 9 to 22 were among those who waited hours along the route for the papal Mass, traveling in from a Paris suburb.
- “The message of Pope Leo goes well beyond Catholic people; he speaks about social justice, for example,” said Leontine Joseph, 42, a fervent Catholic who came with two friends of Moroccan origin who grew up in Muslim culture.
- “It’s not only about seeing the pope but it also is about his message of peace and unity, values I’d like to share with them,” she said.
- Although a massive security blanket shut down central Paris to road traffic, the party-like atmosphere drew people of multiple faiths and no faith at all.
- And in his first public Mass in France, where the church is reconciling its declining numbers with a sudden surge of interest among young adults, the pope urged French to recall its Christian heritage to satisfy the "thirst for meaning, for truth and fulfilment" that exists in the human heart.
- Learn more Paris — September 26, 2026 Share on Bluesky Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email to a friend Print The more than mile-long Champs-Élysées boulevard was filled end-to-end with enthusiastic crowds — over 700,000 people — jockeying to get a glimpse of Pope Leo XIV on his way to celebrate Mass in Paris.