Pope Leo XIV draws huge crowds during first official visit to France
publishers 69articles 139first reported 23 Sep, 15:02 UTCdeveloping since 23 Sep · 8 editionstop 25 #5
Pope Leo XIV drew hundreds of thousands of worshippers in Paris and Lourdes during the first official papal visit to France in 18 years, a four-day trip that included services, meetings with political leaders and remarks on sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.
The pope celebrated an outdoor Mass on Saturday at Paris’s Place de la Concorde after traveling along the Champs-Élysées in an open-topped popemobile. The Vatican’s attendance estimate varied between reports, with outlets citing figures of 700,000 to 800,000. Leo urged Catholics not to keep their faith to themselves and praised young people’s “enthusiasm, energy and commitment.” About 14,500 security and emergency personnel were deployed, according to The Guardian.
The visit began Friday, when Leo met President Emmanuel Macron and celebrated Vespers at Notre Dame Cathedral, becoming the first pontiff to preside at the landmark since the 2019 fire.
On Sunday, about 150,000 people attended Mass at the Catholic shrine in Lourdes. Leo called for respect for the sick and frail and said acknowledging mistakes was essential to healing wounds within the Church. In a meeting with French bishops, he praised steps taken in response to the “scourge” of abuse against minors while urging continued vigilance.
Leo was also due to meet seven adult abuse survivors. A 2021 inquiry estimated that about 330,000 children were abused by Catholic clergy and lay workers in France between 1950 and 2020.
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