Pope Leo XIV concluded a historic visit to Paris with an open-air Mass that drew an estimated 800,000 people, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in French history. The service, held on the Champ de Mars with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, underscored the deep Catholic roots that persist in a country often described as secular.
The crowd, which stretched for over a kilometer, listened as the Pope delivered a homily in French, urging Europeans to rediscover a sense of solidarity and hope. He praised France as a "bridge between the north and south of Europe," a nod to the continent's diverse cultural and political landscape.
A pilgrimage to the grotto
Following the Mass, the Pope traveled by helicopter to Lourdes, the Marian shrine in the foothills of the Pyrenees that attracts millions of pilgrims each year. His visit was marked by a quiet, emotional prayer at the grotto where, according to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.
At the grotto, Leo XIV lit a candle and spent several minutes in silent contemplation, a moment that resonated with the thousands of sick and disabled pilgrims who had gathered in the sanctuary. He later greeted them individually, offering blessings and words of comfort.
The Pope's itinerary in Lourdes also included a meeting with volunteers and healthcare workers who assist the many pilgrims who come seeking physical and spiritual healing. He praised their work as "a living testament to the Church's mission of mercy."
This visit to Lourdes is the second leg of a three-day journey that began in Paris, where he also met with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace and addressed French bishops. The trip is seen as an effort to reinvigorate Catholic practice in a country where church attendance has declined sharply in recent decades.
Observers noted the contrast between the massive, youthful crowd in Paris and the more traditional, older pilgrims in Lourdes. The Pope's ability to draw such numbers suggests a renewed interest in faith among younger Europeans, a trend that some analysts attribute to a search for meaning in an increasingly digital and fragmented world.
The French visit comes at a time when the Catholic Church is navigating sensitive issues across Europe, from secularism in France to the legacy of clerical abuse in Germany and beyond. Leo XIV has made reconciliation and transparency central themes of his papacy, and his French itinerary reflected that focus.
In his final address before departing Lourdes, the Pope called on Europeans to "build bridges of dialogue" and to resist the "temptation of isolationism." His words were interpreted as a gentle rebuke to nationalist movements gaining ground in several EU member states.
The pilgrimage to Lourdes holds particular significance for the Pope, who has spoken of his devotion to the Virgin Mary. He is the third pope to visit the shrine in the 21st century, following in the footsteps of John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
As the papal plane left French airspace, the faithful in Lourdes remained in prayer, their candles flickering in the twilight. The visit, though brief, left an indelible mark on a country and a continent seeking spiritual and moral direction.
