Pope Leo XIV Draws Record Crowds in France
We’ve all heard…or in some cases, seen, how secular France is and that religion is dying. Well, perhaps that impression has been dispelled to some extent by the reaction to Pope Leo’s visit this month.
We’ve all heard it for years…Christianity, especially Catholicism, is dead in France. Au contriare, as the French might say. Pope Leo XIV’s Paris Mass at Place de la Concorde drew nearly 600,000 worshippers, the largest turnout of his four‑day France visit, with hundreds of thousands also attending other events across the capital.
According to the Vatican, around 300,000 people lined the streets of Paris on Friday to see the pope pass in his popemobile, and 80,000 young people attended a vigil at the Stade de France in Saint‑Denis. On Saturday, nearly 600,000 registered attendees attended the outdoor Mass on the Champs‑Élysées, a symbolic heart of Paris and a major secular landmark. The crowd included Catholics, Christians such as Maronites, and people of other faiths or no faith, drawn by the event’s cultural and spiritual nature.
The turnout underscores the Catholic Church’s enduring influence in France, despite decades of secularization and declining church attendance. Pope Leo XIV, 71, has noted the surprise at the number of new converts and the tripling of adult baptisms in France since 2016. His visit also included meetings with migrants at Maison Bakhita and a visit to the Catholic Institute of Paris, where he welcomed the rise in baptisms.
During his trip, Pope Leo urged French Catholics to “persevere in their faith even amid the thorns” of a secular world NBC NewsNBC News+1. He also warned of a “paradise of machines” risk posed by artificial intelligence, calling for ethical discernment and human‑centered regulation NBC NewsNBC News. The Paris Mass was followed by prayers in Lourdes, and the itinerary included meetings with government and diplomatic leaders.
Atmosphere
Security measures shut down central Paris for the parade and Mass, but the atmosphere was described as “party‑like”, with people of multiple backgrounds gathering, The pope’s presence, combined with his messages on faith, social justice, and peace, has made this one of the most significant public religious events in France in years.