Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open‑air Mass on Saturday, drawing an estimated 700,000 people to the Place de la Concorde in Paris as part of his four‑day visit to France. The pontiff began the service from a special altar after riding down the Champs‑Élysées in his popemobile, where he waved to the crowds that had gathered for the event.
During the Mass, the Pope praised the “enthusiasm, energy and commitment” of young people, calling them “today’s Church” and urging Catholics to let their faith “overflow so that those you meet may be refreshed.” Earlier that day, he had met 80,000 young people at the Stade de France and visited the Maison Bakhita centre, a refugee‑support association, where he highlighted the “fundamental role of women in building a civilisation of love.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, who had welcomed the Pope on Friday, did not attend the Saturday Mass to avoid breaching France’s strict separation of church and state. However, his wife Brigitte Macron, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, and Senate President Gérard Larcher were present. Other political figures, including Marine Le Pen, Bruno Retailleau, Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal, also attended the ceremony.
At the start of his visit, the Pope warned about the dangers of artificial intelligence, cautioning against “losing our humanity amid a paradise of machines.” He also spoke to Church and state officials at the Élysée Palace, reinforcing his call for a more open and compassionate faith.
Large crowds are expected to attend the remaining events of the Pope’s trip. About 150,000 people have signed up for a Mass in Lourdes on Sunday, and on Monday he will travel to Metz to pay tribute to Robert Schuman, a founding father of the European Union and a candidate for beatification.
<small>Source: Yahoo News — read the original story there.</small>
