Huge crowds greet Pope in Paris ahead of open
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- Pope Leo XIV was warmly welcomed by hundreds of thousands in central Paris during a large open-air Mass, with crowds cheering as he traveled down the Champs-Élysées and blessing babies along the route.
- Over 500,000 people are expected to attend the Mass at Place de la Concorde, where a special altar has been constructed for the ceremony.
- French President Emmanuel Macron, despite meeting the Pope for talks, will not attend any Masses to maintain France's strict separation of church and state, while several prominent politicians from various parties are present.
- The Pope visited a migrant support center, praising efforts to aid refugees and emphasizing the importance of dignity, peace, and the role of women in building a "civilisation of love."
- At the start of his visit, Pope Leo warned about the risks of artificial intelligence, cautioning against losing humanity in a "paradise of machines," and is scheduled to visit Lourdes and Metz, where he will honor EU founding father Robert Schuman.
