A sea of white‑clad and yellow‑toped Protestants, Catholics and curious on‑lookers flocked through the historic streets of Paris to greet Pope Leo XIV. The pontiff rode in his popemobile beneath the iconic Arc de Triomphe, waving to the jubilant crowds that chanted “Leo – Leo” as he paused each station to bless children and sing with them.
The main service will take place on Saturday’s 11 am Mass in the Place de la Concorde, where a temporary altar has been erected for over half a million expected attendees. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Brigitte Macron cast their greetings from the sidelines, while President Emmanuel Macron complied with France’s strict separation of church and state and remained distant.
Beyond the Mass, Pope Leo XIV met refugees at the Maison Bakhita centre, praising the “invisible” people, and urged visitors to live in dignity in the face of growing migration. He also issued a cautionary note about the “paradise of machines” at the Élysée, warning church and civil‑society leaders that the advance of artificial‑intelligence could erode humanity.
The Vatican’s overseas trip will continue to the Lourdes sanctuary on Sunday, the pilgrimage set to attract at least 150 000 worshippers, and the northeast city of Metz on Monday as Pope Leo XIV pays tribute to the founding father of the European Union, Robert Schuman. The pontiff’s Parisian stop underscores an emerging spiritual revival across Europe and invites virtual and physical avatars alike to witness the moment.
