# Pope praises young people at Paris Mass

> Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open-air Mass in Paris attended by an estimated 700,000 people, praising young Catholics for their energy and commitment.
- Title: Pope praises young people at Paris Mass · BBC News | Shortify
- Summary: Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open-air Mass in Paris attended by an estimated 700,000 people, praising young Catholics for their energy and commitment. Pope Leo…
- Keywords: pope leo xiv, paris, mass, catholic church, france, emmanuel macron, news, world, Pope, praises, young, people
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm4gjjwvvlzro
- Published: 2026-09-26T12:51:10.722+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: pope leo xiv, paris, mass, catholic church, france, emmanuel macron, news, world
## Seven hundred thousand gather in Paris
Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open-air Mass at Place de la Concorde on the second day of his four-day visit to France, with an estimated seven hundred thousand people attending.
## Pope rides down Champs-Élysées
The pontiff rode down the Champs-Élysées Avenue waving to crowds from his open-topped popemobile before the Mass began on Saturday, September twenty-sixth.
## Pope praises young Catholics' energy
During the Mass, Pope Leo XIV told worshippers that Catholics should let their faith overflow so others may be refreshed, and praised young people as today's Church.

> How beautiful it is to see your enthusiasm, energy and commitment, and the joy you bring to Christian communities.
## Senior politicians attend, Macron absent
French President Emmanuel Macron met the Pope on Friday but did not attend Saturday's Mass to avoid breaching France's strict separation of Church and state. His wife Brigitte and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu attended.
## Presidential candidates gather at Mass
Marine Le Pen of the hard-right National Rally party, conservative Bruno Retailleau, centrists Édouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal were all pictured at Place de la Concorde ahead of next year's presidential election.
## Pope meets migrants, warns on AI
Earlier Saturday, Pope Leo XIV visited the Maison Bakhita centre supporting refugees, praising it for helping the invisible. He also warned about losing humanity amid machines during his visit to France.
## Pope heads to Lourdes for next Mass
Late Saturday the Pope flew to Lourdes in south-western France, where he will celebrate a Mass on Sunday with one hundred fifty thousand people signed up to attend.
## Key takeaway

Pope Leo XIV celebrated a Mass in Paris for seven hundred thousand people on the second day of his four-day visit to France, praising young Catholics for their enthusiasm and energy.