Pope Leo XIV celebrated a historic outdoor Mass in Paris on Saturday, drawing a record-breaking crowd of around 800,000 faithful — one of the largest public Catholic gatherings France has seen in years.The American-born pope, whose birth name is Robert Francis Prevost, arrived down the Champs-Elysees in the popemobile before presiding over the Mass outside the Place de la Concorde. Worshippers filled the square and spilled along the Champs-Elysees, and the Archdiocese of Paris said the unexpectedly large turnout prompted police to open two overflow sites.
A message to young people
Delivering the Mass in French, the 71-year-old pontiff made a point of addressing the young people in the crowd, declaring: "You are today's church." In his homily, he said: "Only God can fill the emptiness within us." He also reflected on France's deep Catholic heritage, telling the faithful: "Seeing you gathered here, the heirs of France's long and beautiful history of faith, I say to you: Drink from the source that is the pierced heart of Jesus, who alone can quench our thirst for God, life, truth, unity, peace, communion, and happiness."
First papal visit in 18 years
The Mass comes on the second day of the pope's four-day apostolic journey to France — the first official papal visit to the country since Pope Benedict XVI's in 2008, which attracted around 250,000 people, less than half of Saturday's turnout. Aboard the papal plane on the way to France, Pope Leo described the mission of his trip: "I, above all, am travelling to France, as to anywhere else in the world, as a follower of Jesus Christ wanting to proclaim peace, the peace of Christ throughout the world. It is a message which at this time, as we all know, is particularly important."
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Pope Leo draws record-breaking crowd of 800K and rallies young people for historic Paris Mass — New York Post