By Charles Igwe
Nearly 600,000 people have registered to attend Pope Leo XIV’s open-air Mass in Paris on September 26, prompting organisers to significantly expand the area designated for the event.
The Mass will take place at Place de la Concorde and along the Champs-Élysées during the Pope’s September 25–28 visit to France. Registration closed on September 16, although registration was encouraged rather than compulsory.
According to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris, the large response led organisers to extend the security perimeter and establish an overflow area stretching from Place de l’Étoile along Avenue de la Grande-Armée toward Porte Maillot.
The turnout has grown rapidly since registration opened on August 10, when more than 200,000 people registered within the first few hours. The 80,000 available places for the youth vigil at Stade de France were also filled within hours.
The Paris Mass is scheduled for 3 p.m. on September 26, with gates opening at 9 a.m. Pope Leo is expected to arrive at the Champs-Élysées at about 1:45 p.m.
The Pope’s visit will also include stops in Lourdes and Metz, where he will celebrate Mass and meet with Catholics and other members of the local communities.
Meanwhile, the French bishops’ conference estimates the cost of the September 25–28 visit at €27 million and has raised €5.5 million through a national fundraising campaign, leaving a reported shortfall of €21.5 million.
