Brief
Pope Leo XIV draws 800,000 to Paris Mass amid France’s secular debate
The largest gathering yet for a pope in France, the event raised questions about the future of faith in a secular nation.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Pope Leo XIV led an outdoor Mass on Saturday, 26 September, in Paris’s Place de la Concorde that drew an estimated 800,000 attendees, according to the Vatican. The crowd was the largest the pope has seen in France and the biggest Mass in the country since the 1960s.
Earlier that evening, about 80,000 young people had gathered for a prayer vigil at the Stade de France, where singing and dancing filled the stadium. The vigil was followed by the pope’s visit to Lourdes, where more than 150,000 pilgrims watched him pass in a popemobile.
French Ambassador to the Holy See Charles Personnaz described the visit as a “very living exchange between the pope and the people of France” and said it offered an “appeal to the young people to engage themselves for peace, not to be afraid of the future.”
The pope used the occasion to speak out against France’s new constitutional abortion law and the assisted‑dying legislation that had been passed last month, both of which conflict with Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life.
According to the French bishops’ conference, 21,386 adult and adolescent baptisms were recorded at Easter, a 28% rise from the previous year and more than triple the figure a decade ago. Yet a national survey shows that 51% of people aged 18 to 59 in France have no religion, and only 29% identify as Catholic.
Earlier this week, the pope met privately with seven survivors of child sexual abuse by French clergy and delivered a speech on Europe’s future at the Robert Schuman Centre in Metz.
Key facts
- Pope Leo XIV’s Mass in Paris attracted an estimated 800,000 attendees (cbsnews.com)
- 80,000 young people gathered for a prayer vigil at Stade de France (cbsnews.com)
- More than 150,000 pilgrims attended the pope’s visit to Lourdes (cbsnews.com)
- French bishops recorded 21,386 adult and adolescent baptisms at Easter (cbsnews.com)
- 51% of French people aged 18‑59 reported no religion in a national survey (cbsnews.com)
Background
The pope’s four‑day tour of France began on 25 September with a welcome at Orly and talks with President Macron. It included youth rallies, pilgrimages to Lourdes and Metz, and a speech on Europe’s future. The visit was framed against France’s recent constitutional changes on abortion and assisted dying, which the pope opposed.
Timeline
- 2026-09-25 — Pope Leo XIV welcomed journalists amid media restrictions
- 2026-09-26 — Pope Leo XIV’s Mass in Paris drew 600,000 attendees
- 2026-09-28 — Pope Leo XIV concluded France visit with mass and speech on Europe’s future
Why it matters
The event highlights a potential shift in religious engagement in a country long considered secular, while the pope’s criticism of recent French laws underscores ongoing tensions between church doctrine and state policy.
What happens next
The Vatican is expected to release a statement on the impact of the visit on Catholicism in France and on the broader European religious landscape.
Sources
- [1] cbsnews.com — originally reported as “Pope Leo draws massive crowds in France. Is Catholicism making a comeback?”
