In brief
At dawn on Saturday, Pope Leo XIV descended the Champs‑Élysées in Paris to a sea of devotees for an open‑air Mass at the Place de la Concorde. More than 500,000 people packed the avenue, chanting “Leo, Leo” as the pontiff blessed children and dove into a televised service. French President Emmanuel Macron stayed off the ceremony to preserve secularism, but his wife Brigitte and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu joined the crowd. Political rivals from across the spectrum, including Marine Le Pen and former prime minister Edouard Philippe, were also seen, signalling the Pope’s wide appeal. Beyond the city centre, the Pope met migrant refugees at Maison Bakhita and warned officials on Friday about the dangers of artificial intelligence, urging humanity not to lose its soul amid a “paradise of machines.”
Pope Leo XIV descended the historic Champs‑Élysées in Paris, greeted by a sea of half a million worshippers for an open‑air Mass at the Place de la Concorde.
As the pontiff’s popemobile glided beneath the Arc de Triomphe, crowds shouted “Leo, Leo,” moving along the avenue while the Pope blessed children at several stages and lifted his arm in the traditional blessing.
The event marked the first of several public rituals during the Pope’s four‑day visit to France, which the Catholic Church says illustrates growing spiritual life across Europe.
French President Emmanuel Macron faced a delicate decision: he opted to stay out of the Masses to avoid violating France’s law of secularism. Brigitte Macron and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu were among the politicians who attended the ceremony. Other political figures, from Marine Le Pen of the National Rally to former prime ministers Edouard Philippe and François Fillon, were also seen on the Place de la Concorde.
Outside the capital, the Pope visited the Maison Bakhita refugee centre, praising its work and stressing the need for dignity and peace for all people. He also warned government officials about the perils of artificial intelligence, urging that humanity must not lose its soul in a “paradise of machines.”
The mass attracted a record gathering, while the Church expected 150,000 attendees in Lourdes on Sunday and later scheduled a tribute to EU founding father Robert Schuman in Metz on Monday.
For the first time, the Vatican’s Pope with a French heritage—his great‑grandmother hailed from Le Havre—remains an enduring symbol across Europe.
Images: 
