Pope Leo XIV celebrated a major milestone during his visit to France, drawing approximately 800,000 people to central Paris for an open-air Mass at the Place de la Concorde. The gathering highlighted the enthusiastic reception the pontiff has received since arriving in the country.
Following the service in the French capital, the Pope continued his pilgrimage to Lourdes. There, he was welcomed by thousands of worshipers as he prepared to lead prayers at the historic Grotto of Massabielle.
Lourdes next. I wonder if the weather will hold up for the Grotto prayers. Fingers crossed for sunshine.
Hope security wasn’t a nightmare for the locals. That much crowd control requires serious coordination.
Does anyone else think an open-air Mass in Paris feels like a strange historical echo? Such a symbolic choice of location.
I was walking home that morning and barely saw a soul. Either the numbers are inflated or everyone else stayed indoors.
Eight hundred thousand people in central Paris is truly staggering. The turnout really speaks to the Pope’s appeal there.