During his weekly General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV summed up his September 25-28 apostolic journey to France in one word: “rebirth.”
The pontiff cited his visit to the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, which was destroyed in April 2019 due to a catastrophic fire and reopened in December 2024, as an example of this rebirth: “Its restoration was a test of the possible collaboration between the Church, the State, public institutions and civil society. This approach made it possible to make the most of both the generosity of benefactors and the expertise of professionals and skilled workers. The synergy for the common good should be the norm.”
Pope Leo also participated in a prayer vigil with young people at the Stade de France stadium in Paris, which drew more than 80,000 attendees. “There is a sign of renewal within the Church in France that has been evident for some years now, namely the remarkable and growing number of young people and adults seeking Baptism,” he said.
The Holy Father also visited Maison Bakhita, a welcome center for migrants, and celebrated Mass in the central Parisian square Place de la Concorde, which was attended by 700,000 people.
He concluded his reflections by recalling his visit to the Marian Shrine in Lourdes: “In Lourdes, the Lord, through the maternal care of the Virgin Mary, conveys to everyone, pilgrims and especially those who are sick in body and spirit, a message of hope and rebirth. A message that I wished to openly reaffirm: every human life, in whatever condition, even in the most extreme frailty, retains its inviolable dignity and deserves to be cared for, accompanied and relieved of suffering with human compassion and with the aid of the means offered by science.”
You can read more about Pope Leo XIV’s recent journey to France here.