PARIS (Realist English). On the afternoon of September 25, Pope Leo XIV celebrated solemn vespers at the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral — the first papal liturgy in this cathedral since the devastating fire of 2019.
Upon arrival, the pontiff first met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, then spoke at UNESCO headquarters, after which he traveled through Paris to the cathedral in the “popemobile.”
Seven-Minute Bell Ringing and the “Popemobile” Procession
On the day of the pontiff’s arrival, church bells across France rang for seven minutes, marking the beginning of the apostolic visit. In the afternoon, the Pope traveled in the “popemobile” from Boulevard Montparnasse along Boulevard Saint-Michel for about 2.5 kilometers, arriving at Place Saint-Michel in front of the cathedral. According to authorities, about 250,000 people gathered along the route. During the procession, the pontiff also briefly blessed several infants, one of whom was wearing a beret.
Significance of the Vespers at the Cathedral
Vespers began at about 17:15, and the Pope prayed together with 8,000 clergy, religious, and seminarians of the Archdiocese of Paris. Cathedral rector Olivier Ribadeau-Dumas reported that the Pope specifically asked not to have a tour, but wished to “experience this cathedral in the liturgy.”
In his sermon, the Pope recalled the rebirth of the cathedral, stating that “as this place is returned to all humanity, every visitor, through what they see, hear, and feel, can draw new strength.”
He described the cathedral’s cruciform layout as “a reminder of the meeting of earth and heaven” and called on the French Church to “go outside,” to become a Church that “welcomes people on the periphery, those who are far away, and strangers.”
Further Program
In the evening at 21:00, the Pope held a prayer vigil at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis with 80,000 young believers aged 17 to 35. Tickets for the vigil were distributed free online and sold out within minutes.
On September 26, the Pope will celebrate a large Mass at Place de la Concorde, where about 600,000 believers are expected. He will then travel to Lourdes, where on September 27 he will celebrate Mass, meet with the French episcopate, and privately speak with seven victims of sexual abuse by clergy. On September 28, the Pope will speak in Metz on peace in Europe, to which leaders of European Union countries have been invited.
France and the Vatican: History of Visits
This visit is the first official visit of a Vatican head to France in 18 years; the previous one was Pope Benedict XVI’s visit in 2008. Pope Francis visited France three times but never made an official state visit. Leo XIV is the first American-born pope; his grandmother was born in France. According to the Vatican, during his French trip the Pope will deliver 15 speeches. All of them, except two — at UNESCO and in Metz — will be delivered in French.
