Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in Paris before approximately 700,000 people

Approximately 700,000 people attended an open-air Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV on Saturday at Place de la Concorde in Paris, according to the Vatican. The event took place on the second day of the Pontiff’s visit to France and drew a huge crowd along the Champs-Élysées.

The Mass began shortly after 3:00 p.m. local time, or 4:00 p.m. Romania time. The ceremony is the most important public moment of the papal visit so far and is taking place amid strong enthusiasm for Leo XIV’s first visit to France.

The event also has historical significance: it is the first Mass celebrated by a pope in Paris since the ceremony led by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

The crowd gathered well before the start of the Mass in the central area of the French capital, despite the security measures and traffic restrictions imposed for the papal visit. The Vatican said the number of participants reached approximately 700,000, confirming the scale of the religious event.