In front of a huge crowd of the faithful, Pope Leo celebrated an open-air Mass at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, on the second day of his visit to France, calling on the faithful to seek the true meaning of life and to turn to faith, peace, and love.

The open-air Mass began shortly after 3:00 p.m. on Saturday (local time), with thousands of faithful gathered along the Champs-Élysées to watch the Pope up close.

According to the Vatican, approximately 700,000 people attended the Mass, which was the highlight of the second day of his visit to France. This is the first papal visit to Paris since Benedict XVI in 2008, a fact that has generated particularly intense interest and drawn a large crowd of the faithful.

Pope Leo XIV walked down the Champs-Élysées in front of 700,000 people, according to the Vatican pic.twitter.com/RAHNlm2GhM

— BFM (@BFMTV) September 26, 2026

Present at the event were 2,400 priests and deacons, approximately 100 bishops, more than 1,000 cantors, as well as 400 altar servers.

During his address, he called on the faithful to “examine their hearts” and ask themselves what their “deepest thirst” is.

“May my presence among you strengthen your faith and encourage you to continually radiate and share the life, peace, and love of our beloved Lord, Jesus Christ,” he said characteristically.

The Pope spoke of the “thirst for meaning, truth, and fulfillment” that, as he said, exists in every human heart, arguing that Jesus offers an answer to the need for a meaningful relationship and communion with God.

“Today’s homily calls us to examine our hearts: what is our deepest thirst? What are we truly seeking in life?” he noted.

Images of children blessed by Pope Leo XIV from his popemobile. →https://t.co/075GVV02mZ pic.twitter.com/Og82a9AyaQ

— Le Figaro (@Le_Figaro) September 26, 2026

He then he spoke of the dangers of attachment to material goods, to immediate pleasures, and to “the many little idols that promise everything but leave our hearts empty,” as he put it.

“It is Jesus Christ, through his Incarnation, who meets every person in the course of their life and reveals himself as the true source of living water capable of quenching our thirst,” he emphasized.

“From the beautiful city of Paris, I pray fervently that the living water of the Holy Spirit may flow throughout France.”

Mass at the Concorde: “May my presence confirm your faith,” says Leo XIV during his homily. →https://t.co/075GVUZuxr pic.twitter.com/0DpHJPHVXb

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— Le Figaro (@Le_Figaro) September 26, 2026

A Message to Young People and Families

The Pope expressed his gratitude to families for “all the good that is accomplished through them” and then addressed the young people.

“Dear young people, you are the Church of today. It is wonderful to see your enthusiasm, your energy, your commitment, and your joy within Christian communities,” he said.

Finally, he addressed the catechumens and the newly baptized, urging them to continue their journey of faith and to become “living witnesses” who will spread “the culture of love.”

Before the start of Pope Leo XIV’s Mass, 1,000 choristers from the 34 choirs of the Île-de-France region sang, accompanied by an organ. pic.twitter.com/faw3nrBhbJ

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— Le Figaro (@Le_Figaro) September 26, 2026

Source: Protothema.gr