Pope Leo XIV drew an enormous crowd to central Paris on Saturday, with the Vatican estimating that around 800,000 people attended his open-air Mass.
Thousands of flag-waving Catholics filled the Champs-Élysées and Place de la Concorde as the pope traveled through the French capital in the popemobile. During the Mass, Leo encouraged Catholics to openly share their faith and described France as an increasingly secularized society.
“Let it overflow, so that those you meet may be refreshed and their thirst satisfied,” Leo said, urging believers to share what he called their rich religious heritage.
The location added historical significance. Place de la Concorde was once a site of executions during the French Revolution, including those of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette.
The visit also comes as France sees a rise in adult Catholic conversions, even while overall participation has declined over decades.
Leo’s four-day trip included a visit to the restored Notre Dame Cathedral before continuing to Lourdes.
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