Story perspectives

Pope Leo XIV draws 600,000 at Paris Mass

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 2:25 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Pope France Apostolic Visit

Pope Leo XIV begins a four-day apostolic visit to France, arriving at Paris Orly on September 25.
An open-air Mass on the Place de la Concorde draws about 600,000 registered attendees.
Security perimeters close several metro stations and restrict traffic, parking, and river traffic in central Paris.
He will meet seven clerical sexual-abuse survivors, including at Lourdes, during the visit.

Summary

Vatican Excommunicates SSPX

Vatican excommunicated Society of Saint Pius X followers, reviving a long-standing feud before the papal visit.
Investigations found SSPX schools using textbooks praising Marshal Philippe Pétain and omitting the term “Shoah”.
SOS Calvaires erected a four-metre-high cross to stand behind the Pope at the Stade de France vigil.
IFOP poll shows 26% of French Catholics think the visit could “breathe new life” into the Church.

History

Historical Context

Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the Society of Saint Pius X in 1970 and, defying Pope John Paul II, consecrated four bishops on 30 June 1988, prompting the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to declare automatic excommunication. Although Pope Benedict XVI lifted those penalties in 2009, the Society remained irregular, and a second consecration of four bishops on 1 July 2026 again triggered excommunication, keeping the French Catholic dispute alive.

1 of 3

Pope France Apostolic Visit

Pope Leo XIV begins a four-day apostolic visit to France, arriving at Paris Orly on September 25.
An open-air Mass on the Place de la Concorde draws about 600,000 registered attendees.
Security perimeters close several metro stations and restrict traffic, parking, and river traffic in central Paris.
He will meet seven clerical sexual-abuse survivors, including at Lourdes, during the visit.

1 / 3