Pope Leo XIV draws 600,000 to Paris Mass

Nearly 600,000 people registered for the open-air Mass with Pope Leo XIV in Paris, prompting organizers to expand the security perimeter and the event route. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris announced that registration closed early on September 16 after the expected capacity was reached. While registration was encouraged, it was not required for attendance.

The Mass is scheduled for 3 p.m. on September 26 at the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées. To accommodate the large crowd, the Archdiocese of Paris established an overflow zone stretching from the Place de l'Étoile along Avenue de la Grande-Armée toward Porte Maillot. General coordinator Hervé Wattecamps reported that 8,000 new registrations were arriving daily during the final period before the deadline.

The high demand follows a rapid surge in sign-ups when registration opened on August 10, which saw 200,000 people register within hours. All 80,000 spots for the youth vigil at the Stade de France on September 25 were also claimed quickly. The Pope is expected to arrive at the Champs-Élysées at 1:45 p.m. on the day of the Mass, with gates opening to the public at 9 a.m.