International
Pope Leo XIV Holds Massive Open-Air Mass in Paris, Attracting 700,000 Attendees
Pope Leo XIV celebrated a large open-air mass at the Place de la Concorde in Paris on Saturday, with the Vatican estimating attendance at approximately 700,000 people. The Pope was transported through the city in his popemobile along the Champs-Élysées, where he was greeted by crowds waving French and Vatican flags. The central area of Paris was largely cordoned off for the event, with numerous screens installed to allow distant viewers to follow the service. Leo arrived in France on Friday, during which he visited Notre-Dame Cathedral and met with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace; however, Macron did not attend the mass due to the strict separation of church and state in France, while his wife Brigitte was present.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's