Pope Leo XIV rode his popemobile along Paris’s Champs-Élysées on Saturday, waving to crowds and blessing babies ahead of an open-air mass scheduled for 3 p.m. About 600,000 worshippers were expected; the service was the centerpiece of the second day of his four-day France visit.
The route ran from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde, where a giant white canopy had been installed; dozens of giant screens lined the more-than-two-kilometer stretch. The city center was sealed off, helicopters circled overhead and snipers were positioned on rooftops.
Politicians seated near the stage included far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. President Emmanuel Macron was not expected at the mass and would be represented by his wife, Brigitte.
