Pope Francis Addresses Huge Crowds in Paris
Pontiff waves to hundreds of thousands along Champs-Élysées ahead of open-air Mass, while also issuing warnings about AI.
Pope Leo XIV was greeted by hundreds of thousands of people in Paris on Saturday as he proceeded down the Champs-Élysées in his popemobile ahead of a large open-air Mass. Crowds cheered and chanted his name as he waved and blessed babies along the famed avenue, with more than half a million people expected to attend the ceremony.
A special altar has been constructed on the Place de la Concorde for the Mass. Among the attendees were Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Several political figures, including Marine Le Pen and Edouard Philippe, were also present.
Earlier on Saturday, the Pope visited the Maison Bakhita center, an association supporting refugees, where he praised their work and spoke of encountering one another and living together in dignity and peace. He also highlighted the role of women in building a "civilization of love."
Upon his arrival in France on Friday, Pope Leo XIV cautioned against the potential dangers of artificial intelligence, warning against "losing our humanity amid a paradise of machines" in remarks delivered at the Élysée Palace. He met with President Macron for an hour of talks.
Significant crowds are anticipated throughout the pontiff's four-day visit, which the Catholic Church views as indicative of a growing spirituality in France and Europe. Approximately 150,000 people are registered to attend Mass on Sunday at the sanctuary of Lourdes. On Monday, the Pope is scheduled to visit Metz, in northeastern France, to honor Robert Schuman, considered a founding father of the European Union.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost in Chicago in 1955, has French heritage through his paternal grandmother, who was born in Le Havre.