Pope Leo XIV Draws 800,000 Faithful to Paris for Historic Open-Air Mass

Pope Leo XIV celebrated a monumental open-air Mass at Place de la Concorde on Saturday, drawing an estimated 800,000 attendees to central Paris in the most significant public gathering of his visit to France. The pontiff’s appearance marked a profound moment of connection with the French faithful, transforming the historic square into a vast congregation stretching toward the Champs-Élysées.

Earlier in his pilgrimage, the Pope traveled to Lourdes, where thousands of worshippers welcomed him at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. He paused for prayer at the Grotto of Massabielle, the site of the 1858 Marian apparitions to Saint Bernadette Soubirous, underscoring the spiritual centerpiece of his French journey.

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