| Pope Leo Draws Vast Paris Crowd, Then Prays for Peace at Lourdes |
** “It is possible to encounter one another and to live together in dignity and peace.” — Pope Leo XIV *** “Rejecting the mentality of war once and for all.” — Pope Leo XIV
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Pope Leo Draws Vast Paris Crowd, Then Prays for Peace at Lourdes
26/09/2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l: Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open-air Mass before an immense crowd in central Paris on Saturday before travelling to Lourdes, where he prayed for France and appealed for leaders committed to the common good and peace. The two gatherings brought together the central themes of his four-day visit: faith in public life, solidarity with migrants, and a rejection of war.
The Vatican estimated that 800,000 people attended the Paris Mass, filling Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Élysées and surrounding areas beyond the Arc de Triomphe. Beneath a large white canopy serving as an altar, the 71-year-old pontiff led prayers accompanied by a choir and organ as sunlight broke through the clouds.
“It is truly good and pleasant when brothers and sisters come together and glorify the greatness of God,” he told worshippers. Earlier, he had travelled along the Champs-Élysées in the popemobile, giving families and visitors who had waited for hours an opportunity to see him.
** Coaches brought pilgrims from across France. Some carried folding chairs and stools; others arrived with children on their shoulders or in pushchairs. Their presence turned the broad Paris avenue into a gathering of generations, as worshippers sought both a glimpse of the pope and a shared experience of faith. For many who travelled to the capital, the day offered a rare chance to worship in public alongside strangers from different regions, backgrounds and generations.
Sylvie Leclerc, a 51-year-old teacher carrying a Normandy flag, said she had come to share in the occasion’s Christian spirit. “You don’t hear much from us Catholics, but now we’re going to make some noise!” she said, adding that the message she wanted to proclaim was one of “love, peace, joy”.
Fifteen-year-old Alix, wearing glittery cross-shaped earrings, spoke of the excitement among younger worshippers. For others, the Mass carried a deeply personal meaning. Aline Riziki, 41, who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has lived in France for 11 years, said she had set aside everything to attend and pray for peace in the conflict-torn east of her homeland.
Jeanne de Montagnac, 29, came with her husband and their two-year-old daughter. Although the child would not remember the day, de Montagnac said it mattered to share the experience as a family and to stand among others who shared their faith.
** ** Earlier on Saturday, Leo visited Maison Bakhita, an organisation supporting refugees. Meeting migrants there, he said people could encounter one another and “live together in dignity and peace”. He also emphasised the “fundamental role of women in building a civilisation of love”. The visit placed his message about human dignity in a setting devoted to helping those seeking a new life.
The pope’s journey has stirred enthusiasm in a country with deep Catholic roots but a strongly secular public life. Only about five per cent of France’s population regularly attends Catholic services, according to a survey cited in the reports, even as baptisms among teenagers and adults have increased. It is the first official papal visit to France in nearly two decades.
On Friday, an estimated 300,000 people had turned out to see Leo as he travelled towards Notre-Dame Cathedral. He urged France to remain a “tireless champion of peace” and warned that advances in artificial intelligence must be guided by ethics rather than lead to a “paradise of machines”.
Addressing young adults at a stadium outside Paris that evening, he called them the “saints of France”.
** After the Paris Mass, Leo travelled to the southwestern pilgrimage town of Lourdes. At the Grotto of Massabielle, where Catholic tradition holds that the Virgin Mary appeared to the young Bernadette in 1858, he touched the rock, lit a candle and drank spring water, following practices familiar to generations of pilgrims.
There he prayed that France might have “wise and generous leaders” willing to serve the common good. He also asked that the country defend fundamental human rights and promote peace, “rejecting the mentality of war once and for all”. His appeal came months before a presidential election in which immigration is expected to be a prominent issue.
Political figures were among those at the Paris Mass, including Marine Le Pen and Édouard Philippe. President Emmanuel Macron did not attend but was represented by his wife, Brigitte. In a message on X, he said France was proud to welcome the pope and the large gathering in the heart of Paris.
** Lourdes is one of Catholicism’s major pilgrimage sites, receiving about three million visitors annually. Leo is the third pope to visit the sanctuary, following John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Thousands watched his arrival on giant screens, while many more followed his prayer at the grotto.
The visit was also set to confront a painful chapter in the Church’s history. On Sunday, Leo was due to meet privately with seven victims of clerical sexual abuse. A 2021 inquiry estimated that clergy and lay Church personnel had abused about 330,000 people as minors in France over seven decades. Further accusations have since emerged involving charity figure Abbé Pierre and workers at a Catholic boarding school near Lourdes.
For the final stage of his visit, the pope was expected to travel to Metz on Monday and address peace in Europe. Across Paris and Lourdes, his message connected the hopes of pilgrims with wider questions facing France and the world: how communities welcome strangers, protect the vulnerable and resist the pull of conflict. |
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