Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open-air Mass at Place de la Concorde in Paris on Saturday. The Vatican said about 700,000 people attended, as he marked the second day of a four-day France trip and the first official papal visit to France in nearly two decades.
Earlier Saturday, Leo met migrants at Maison Bakhita, an association supporting refugees, and said people could live together with dignity and peace. He also highlighted what he called the fundamental role of women in building a “civilisation of love.”
On Sunday in Lourdes, Leo is due to speak with seven victims of clerical sexual abuse. A 2021 inquiry found that clergy or lay members of the Church had abused about 330,000 people as minors in France over seven decades. On Monday in Metz, he is expected to deliver a speech about peace in Europe.
