Pope celebrates giant Paris mass in landmark visit

Pope Leo on Saturday celebrated an open-air mass in front of hundreds of thousands of faithful in Paris after riding in the Popemobile along the iconic Champs Elysees to the cheers of huge crowds clutching French and Vatican flags.The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics is on a four-day trip to France, a secular country with deep Catholic roots, on the first official papal visit to France in nearly two decades.In the highlight of the visit’s second day, the 71-year-old pope led believers in a mass at Place de la Concorde, where a giant white canopy had been erected to serve as a makeshift altar. Dozens of screens were installed to allow worshippers to follow the hour-and-a-half long service.The trip stirred visible enthusiasm and spiritual fervour among the faithful. The pope’s prayers were accompanied by choir and organ music as the sun broke through the grey skies.“It is truly good and pleasant when brothers and sisters come together and glorify the greatness of God,” said Pope Leo, dressed in white liturgical vestments.Pope Leo walks towards the crowd after celebrating a solemn outdoor mass at Place de la Concorde, central Paris, on Saturday. Photo: AFPOver a stretch of more than 2km (1.2 miles), some 700,000 people had gathered all the way beyond the Arc de Triomphe, the Vatican said. The city centre was sealed off for the service, with helicopters circling overhead and snipers positioned on rooftops.Some people sitting on the pavement hugged their knees and dropped their heads in concentration as they listened to the pope’s voice echo across the Champs Elysees.