Pope Leo prays in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris 7 years after devastating fire

Pope Leo XIV led prayers inside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Sept. 25, marking his first visit to the landmark since the 2019 fire. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris and Msgr. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, the rector of Notre Dame, welcomed the pope to the cathedral, which reopened to the public in December 2024.

During the visit, the pope knelt to pray before the tabernacle and the chapel housing the relic of Christ’s crown of thorns, which he kissed. Speaking in French to gathered bishops, priests, deacons, and religious men and women, Pope Leo XIV encouraged Catholics in France to act as living stones of a Church that demonstrates how God restores and heals humanity. He stated that the cathedral's rebirth serves as an impetus for the faithful to pursue holiness and their daily missions.

The Holy See Press office reported that approximately 300,000 people greeted the pope as he traveled through Paris from the UNESCO headquarters to the Place Saint-Michel. Church bells rang throughout the city to mark his arrival in the French capital.