The most beautiful avenue, full of people. It was 2 p.m. on Saturday September 26 when the popemobile began its procession along the Avenue des Champs-Elysées. Acclaimed by a human tide of faithful, Leo XIV greeted the crowd and blessed babies carried to him by volunteers. He then began to celebrate a giant mass on the Place de la Concorde, in front of some 700,000 people, according to the count transmitted by the Vatican. The mass, scheduled to last an hour and a half, is largely dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Several political figures were seen in the audience at Place de la Concorde in Paris. Among them, Brigitte Macron, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, the President of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, and the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet. National Rally deputies are also there. Among them, Marine Le Pen, Jordan Bardella and Sébastien Chenu.
In the morning, Leo On this occasion, he pleaded for “living together in dignity and peace”.
The sovereign pontiff will leave the capital at the end of the day, heading towards Lourdes (Hautes-Pyrénées), via the special plane made available to him by the company Air France. He will have time to pray in the grotto of the city sanctuary, where the 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette Soubirous are said to have occurred in 1858.
Faithful come forward to commune with the Pope. Among them, we find people from solidarity delegations, Christian communities of foreign origins, or even Catholics of Eastern rites.
Several faithful take the floor for universal prayer. After this time, the time comes for the Eucharist, with the procession of the gifts, which arrive in front of the altar.
“In this beautiful country that is France, many have drunk of this living water [that is faith] over the centuries,” continues Leo XIV, citing Saint-François de Sales, Saint-Vincent de Paul and even Frédéric Ozanam. “From this beautiful city of Paris, I pray fervently that the living water of the Holy Spirit will spread throughout France. I think of you, of your dear families, who, despite the difficulties you face on a daily basis, courageously persevere in your mission. I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he declared.
“You thirst for God, for life, for truth, for peace, for communion and for happiness,” continues the sovereign pontiff. He enjoins the faithful to “bring hope where discouragement and spiritual dryness reign.”
“Dear brothers and sisters, I thank God for the grace given to me to be here, on this Place de la Concorde, to celebrate the Eucharist. (...) May my presence among you confirm your faith and encourage you to constantly radiate and transmit the life, peace and love of our beloved Lord, Jesus Christ.”
These are extracts from the Gospel according to Saint John which are read before the crowd. According to the Vatican, 700,000 people came to attend this event.
The silver Virgin and Child which sits on the Concorde stage is the work of the goldsmith Charles Nicolas Odiot and dates from 1826. Each year, it is carried in procession through Paris on the Feast of the Assumption.
“Brothers and sisters, may the Lord bring us together for the celebration of the Eucharist,” the pope declared in front of tens of thousands of faithful gathered at Place de la Concorde. “I acknowledge before you, brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, in word, in action and in omission,” the crowd proclaims in unison.
