On Saturday, the Avenue des Champs‑Élysées in Paris was packed with an estimated 800,000 people for Pope Leo’s largest event of his four‑day, three‑city tour of France. The crowd gathered for an outdoor Mass that stretched from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe, where the pontiff urged Catholics to seek happiness in faith rather than material wealth.
As the popemobile rolled along the tree‑lined boulevard, chants of “Leo, Leo” and “Long live the Pope” echoed through the city. The vehicle paused frequently, allowing the Pope to bless people with disabilities, children and babies who were passed forward by volunteers. Attendees included Brigitte Macron, the French president’s wife, far‑right leader Marine Le Pen, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and billionaire Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH.
During his sermon, Leo thanked God for the opportunity to visit France and said, “Only God can fill the emptiness within us.” He warned against “the easy path or distractions” and urged believers to find true happiness in faith. Benoit Dedieu‑Anglade, a 67‑year‑old attendee, said after the Mass that he was moved by the Pope’s clear, lucid French.
Earlier that week, the Pope had spoken at UNESCO’s Paris headquarters, criticizing the direction of global leadership and warning that artificial intelligence could create a “paradise of machines” that might dominate the Earth. He has also repeatedly called for peace, including remarks at the Elysee that drew a rebuke from U.S. President Donald Trump over the Iran war.
In a separate visit to the Catholic University of Paris, Leo met with newly baptised Catholics and cautioned the French church not to be “naively optimistic” about the recent rise in adherents. “We must recognise, welcome and protect the small flame that the Holy Spirit has kindled in the darkness of the night,” he said.
After the Mass, the Pope will head to Lourdes, where he is scheduled to meet seven French victims of abuse by clergy on Sunday.
<small>Source: Yahoo News — read the original story there.</small>
