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Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile on his way to Place de la Concorde to celebrate an open-air mass in Paris, France, on the 26th local time. / Reuters, Yonhap

Pope Leo XIV celebrated a large-scale open-air mass at Place de la Concorde in central Paris on the 26th local time, marking the second day of his apostolic journey to France.

According to Vatican estimates, a crowd of approximately 800,000 gathered along the roughly 2-kilometer stretch of the Champs-Élysées leading from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde.

French daily Le Monde, AFP, and other news outlets reported that the pope rode along the Champs-Élysées in an open-top popemobile, waving to the crowds and imparting blessings.

Tight security was maintained across the city center where the mass took place, with snipers stationed on rooftops and helicopters circling overhead.

During the mass at Place de la Concorde, the pope emphasized, "It is good and joyful for brothers and sisters to gather together and praise the greatness of God," adding, "Only God can fill the emptiness within us."

He then urged the faithful to seek the true meaning of life and happiness not in material abundance or worldly temptations, but within faith.

Le Monde noted that Pope Leo XIV's visit was focused on restoring the stature of the Church and delivering a message of peace and solidarity in France, a secular nation with deep Catholic traditions.

The visit drew keen attention from political circles as it marked the first official papal visit to France in roughly 20 years and came approximately seven months ahead of the presidential election.

Prominent figures turned out in large numbers for the event, including Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, leaders of the hard-right National Rally (RN), Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, former President Nicolas Sarkozy, and LVMH Chairman Bernard Arnault. Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, also attended on behalf of the president.

Arriving in Paris on the 25th, the first day of his trip, the pope met with French leaders at the Élysée Palace and delivered an address at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, conveying strong messages on overcoming crises within multilateral institutions, rethinking the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) development, and fostering international peace.

After wrapping up his Paris schedule that afternoon, he traveled to Lourdes in southwestern France. Upon arriving in Lourdes, the pope prayed at the Massabielle Grotto, where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to Saint Bernadette, and continued his itinerary, Vatican News reported.

On the 28th, the final day of his tour, he is scheduled to visit the northeastern French city of Metz, deliver a speech on the theme of peace in Europe, and conclude his four-day official visit.

                                                                                                           Lee Jeong-eun