Pope Leo XIV will lead a significant public Mass at the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées in Paris on September 26. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich confirmed the details on Friday, noting the pontiff’s state visit is scheduled from September 25 to 28. This marks the first official papal state visit to France in almost twenty years.
Organizers anticipate approximately 500,000 attendees for the afternoon Mass. Prior to this, a youth assembly will take place on September 25 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. Archbishop Ulrich emphasized that these locations were chosen to symbolize the nation’s enthusiasm and the importance of the event, representing the country’s eagerness to greet the Pope.
The Pope’s itinerary includes a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Following his time in the capital, he will travel to the pilgrimage site of Lourdes for an open-air Mass on September 27. His trip concludes on September 28 with a service at the cathedral in Metz. This visit follows a June trip to Spain, signaling a strategic effort by the Vatican to engage with historically Catholic European nations that have seen rising secularism, a shift in focus noted by many observers.
