- Air France operated three special flights linking Paris-Orly, Tarbes-Lourdes, Metz-Nancy and Rome
- Pope Leo XIV drew an estimated 700,000 to 800,000 faithful to an open-air Mass in Paris
- The Mass took place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Place de la Concorde
- The Pope travelled to Lourdes to pray at the Grotto of Massabielle and walked barefoot part of the way
- Nearly 80,000 young people filled the Stade de France for an event with the pontiff
Pope Leo XIV has drawn large crowds during his visit to France, including an outdoor Mass in Paris attended by hundreds of thousands. He then travelled to Lourdes, the pilgrimage site linked to the 1858 apparitions reported by Bernadette Soubirous. The pontiff prayed at the Grotto of the Apparitions and walked barefoot part of the way while greeting pilgrims from across Europe.
Pope Leo XIV drew an estimated 700,000 to 800,000 fto the heart of Paris during an open-air Mass. The turnout along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées and the Place de la Concorde caught local authorities by surprise, serving as a display of faith in an officially secular country. The highlight of the American pontiff’s four-day apostolic journey to France took place on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Parading down a sealed-off, 1.4-mile stretch of the Champs-Élysées in his popemobile, Pope Leo XIV blessed babies and greeted flag-waving crowds chanting Leo, Leo.
He then celebrated Mass from a specially constructed altar at the Place de la Concorde, a historic landmark rooted in the identity of the French Republic. During his homily, the Pope directly addressed the young Catholics in attendance, praising their energy and urging French faithful to let their beliefs overflow so that those they meet may be refreshed. The high-profile service drew prominent French figures, including First Lady Brigitte Macron, billionaire Bernard Arnault, and political leader Marine Le Pen.
During addresses at the UNESCO headquarters and other venues, the Pope spoke extensively on international diplomacy, the crisis of war, and the ethical risks of artificial intelligence, warning against a transition into a paradise of machines. He met with migrants and local clergy, balancing messages of geopolitical unity with an acknowledgement of the institutional fallout from historical clergy abuse scandals within the French Catholic Church.
Following the events in Paris, Pope Leo XIV travelled to the southwest of France to visit the sanctuary town of Lourdes. There, thousands more pilgrims gathered to host him as he arrived to pray at the iconic Grotto of Massabielle. Nearly 80,000 young people filled the Stade de France for an event with the pontiff. Air France operated three special flights to support the visit, linking Paris-Orly, Tarbes-Lourdes, Metz-Nancy and Rome.
