Pope Leo XIV draws huge crowds during four-day France visit
publishers 71articles 150first reported 23 Sep, 15:02 UTCdeveloping since 23 Sep · 8 editionstop 25 #12
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass before an estimated 700,000 people in central Paris on Saturday, the second day of his four-day visit to France. After riding along the Champs-Élysées in an open-topped popemobile, he urged Catholics not to keep their faith to themselves and praised young people’s “enthusiasm, energy and commitment.”
The Mass followed a Friday meeting with President Emmanuel Macron and an event attended by 80,000 young people at the Stade de France. At the Élysée Palace, Leo called for dialogue and diversity, said a free society must resist “authoritarian tendencies,” and warned against “losing our humanity amid a paradise of machines.” He also celebrated Vespers at Notre Dame Cathedral, becoming the first pontiff to lead a service there since the 2019 fire.
On Sunday, about 150,000 people attended Mass at the Catholic shrine in Lourdes. Leo defended the dignity of sick and frail people and said it was “impossible to regard causing death as something normal,” after France's euthanasia and assisted-suicide law came into effect last month.
The pope urged French bishops to remain vigilant against abuse of minors and also met seven adult survivors of sexual abuse. He praised steps taken to seek truth, justice and accountability while saying that admitting mistakes was essential to healing wounds within the Church.
Leo traveled under fighter-jet escort to Metz on Monday, the final stop of the tour, where he was scheduled to honor Robert Schuman, a founding figure of the European Union and a candidate for beatification.
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