Paris: Hundreds of thousands of people packed Paris' iconic Champs-Elysees avenue for Pope Leo XIV's big outdoor Mass on Saturday, a sign of the Catholic Church's enduring appeal in the once staunchly Catholic but officially secular country.
The American pope greeted the flag-waving, cheering throngs from his popemobile during a 2-kilometre parade along the grand boulevard leading to the Place de la Concorde for Mass, essentially the heart of Paris and a symbol of the French republic.
The Vatican estimated that 700,000 people came out for the Mass - more than the 600,000 who had registered in advance. The stunning turnout testified to the church's enduring influence in France, despite sharp declines in churchgoing in recent decades and secularising trends that have emptied churches around Europe.
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Although a massive security blanket shut down central Paris to road traffic, the party-like atmosphere drew people of multiple faiths and no faith at all. The fervor spanned generations. People brought dozens of babies and young children from the crowd for Leo to caress on the head as he rode slowly past them aboard the popemobile.
"The message of Pope Leo goes well beyond Catholic people; he speaks about social justice, for example," said Leontine Joseph, 42, a fervent Catholic who came with two friends of Moroccan origin who grew up in Muslim culture.
Leo has sought to encourage French Catholics to persevere in their faith "even amid the thorns" of a secular world during his four-day visit. It began on Friday with his arrival and prayer at the restored Notre Dame cathedral, the first by a pope since the devastating 2019 fire, and continues with his prayer at the Catholic shrine at Lourdes.
During a visit to the Catholic Institute of Paris on Saturday morning, the pope said he was surprised by the numbers of new converts registered in recent years and grateful for what he said was God's "unfathomable work" to counter all statistical and sociological analysis.
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"We must recognise, welcome and protect the small flame that the Holy Spirit has kindled in the darkness of the night, the tiny seed that strives to grow even amid the thorns," he said.
The number of adult baptisms in France each year has tripled since 2016, hitting 13,000 this year. But statistics and experts caution that the uptick, which has been recorded also in secular Spain, doesn't counteract the overall generational trend of children of practicing French Catholics no longer going to Mass or baptising their babies.
In 1980, there were 513,000 baptisms in France; in 2024, a total of 186,000.
Huge crowds come out to see the pope
The rivers of people who crammed central Paris and their joyful enthusiasm rivalled other communal but non-religious moments of celebration that marked France in recent decades. Huge crowds celebrated on the Champs-Elysees when France won the soccer World Cup in 1998 and again in 2018.
Many on Saturday didn't identify as Catholics, but came out of interest in the pope's message.
"People are seeing a lot of really terrible images. This kind of event reminds people of what is really important in life," said Thierry Chen, a 40-year-old Parisian startup entrepreneur who is not Catholic. "You see a lot of different people here, so it's not just about one race, religion or nation, but about a common belief in humankind."
Sylvane Le Goff, 68, who lives in the Paris region, came with her 10- and 12-year-old grandchildren to "give them unforgettable memories." Le Goff, who was raised Catholic but is not practicing, said she wanted to open her grandchildren's minds.
"It's not only about seeing the pope but it also is about his message of peace and unity, values I'd like to share with them," she said.
Leo has clearly been impressed by the numbers and enthusiasm of the French, especially at a Friday night vigil that kept the 71-year-old pope out until nearly 11 pm after a packed first day.
Some 80,000 young people filled the national stadium north of the French capital for an extravaganza of fireworks and a theatrical retelling of French Catholic history.
"Thank you for your courage! Thank you for your presence," Leo told the crowd, speaking off the cuff in French. "Thank you for your faith. You are the saints of France!" he said to raucous cheers.
Hundreds of thousands expected to attend Mass
The choice of Place de la Concorde for Saturday's Mass was significant.
Organisers said they chose it because it was the only area in central Paris that could accommodate the hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend. Last week, organisers extended the crowd site because they predicted more.
But the choice of the venue has been criticized by staunch supporters of secularism who argue that the site represents the Republic, and that other places such as the Invalides, a complex of buildings where Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in front of 240,000 people in 2008, would have been more appropriate.
France is a traditionally Catholic country, but adheres to a strict form of secularism in public life based on a 1905 law separating church and state.
The Place de la Concorde was designed at the end of the 18th century and was among the main sites of execution during the French Revolution. Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were guillotined there. For many French people, the square embodies the Republic: French presidents traditionally celebrate Bastille Day there.
Leo's visit to Paris came as a birthday present for Jean-Claude Farnabe, who turned 63 on Saturday and spent the morning securing a spot amid the throngs of people.
A lifelong Catholic, Farnabe attends Mass in the Paris suburb of Suresnes every Sunday, and has recently witnessed a surge in faith.
"There are more and more converts," he said as he waited for the pope. "Many youngsters are interested in faith and in God. Every Sunday, I see new people, people aged between 25 and 40, who are getting baptised."
