"Leo! Leo!": Champs-Élysées Erupts as Pope Visits, Drawing 800,000 People

When the white Popemobile carrying Pope Leo XIV made its appearance, the crowds packed along the streets let out a unanimous cheer.

Shouts of "Leo," "Leo," and "Long live the Pope" erupted from all over, and people from various regions welcomed the Pope by waving yellow and white Vatican flags.

The Champs-Élysées, a shopping landmark lined with luxury boutiques, was covered in cheers that were reminiscent of an outdoor concert venue on this day.

The Pope traveled along the approximately 2-kilometer-long avenue of the Champs-Élysées connecting the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde aboard the Popemobile.

The Pope smiled and waved to the welcoming crowds gathered throughout the streets.

He also approached babies lifted up by volunteers, placing his hand on each of their heads to bless them.

Having arrived in Paris the previous day to begin a four-day visit to France, Pope Leo XIV presided over a large-scale outdoor mass in the area of the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées in central Paris on this day.

While 600,000 people had registered to attend the outdoor mass, the Vatican estimated that the actual number of attendees reached 800,000, which is 200,000 more.

AP reported that although vehicle traffic in downtown Paris was blocked amid strict security on this day, people of various religions came out to see the Pope amidst a festive atmosphere.

According to Reuters and other media outlets, the Pope called on Catholics during the mass—the largest event of his visit to France—to find happiness in faith rather than material things.

In his homily, the Pope stated that only faith can bring true happiness to Catholics, saying, "Only God can fill the emptiness within us."

The Pope also urged them not to keep their faith to themselves, saying, "Let your faith overflow so that those you meet may gain new strength and have their thirst quenched."

He said, "I earnestly pray that the living waters of the Holy Spirit in this beautiful city of Paris will flow throughout all of France."

When he also expressed gratitude to God for being able to visit France, cheers erupted from the crowd filling the plaza.

This official papal visit to France is the first in 18 years since Pope Benedict XVI in September 2008.

A large number of political and business figures attended the mass on this day, including French President Emmanuel Macron's wife Brigitte Macron, far-right National Rally (RN) presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, and LVMH luxury group Chairman Bernard Arnault.

People began gathering around the Champs-Élysées area from early in the morning on this day.

Nearby Rue de Matignon leading to the Champs-Élysées avenue was already packed with people before 8:00 AM.

On September 25, the first day of his visit, Pope Leo XIV met with President Macron and others at the Elysee Palace in Paris, warning against the reckless use of AI and the dangers of a nuclear arms race.

In particular, mentioning AI, he emphasized, "We must not lose our humanity in the paradise of machines that has entered our daily lives."

Following this, after delivering a speech at UNESCO headquarters, which is facing financial difficulties in the wake of the withdrawal of the United States following Donald Trump's return to power, he presided over evening prayers at Notre-Dame Cathedral and led late-night prayers amid the cheers of about 80,000 young faithful at the Stade de France in the northern outskirts of Paris.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.