Perhaps the pope's first surprise in France was how he is being received by a secular country that has just passed a law on euthanasia.
But the reality is quite different. During Pope Leo XIV’s four-day visit, France has drawn more than one million people to three key locations: Paris, Lourdes, and Metz.
Eighteen years after Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the City of Love, Pope Leo is leaving behind new images, such as that of a pontiff speaking at UNESCO—something that hasn’t been done since John Paul II in 1980.
But Pope Leo XIV did not go to France to forge ties with the state, but rather to breathe new life into a church that has given itself over completely.
He was easily moved to tears when faced with a large gathering of the faithful.
There was also time to bring a part of France’s past to life. The vigil at the Stade de France with the young people featured a performance in which more than 60 saints from France appeared to connect with the 80,000 young people in attendance.
Joan of Arc, the curee of Ars, Saint Bernardete, Vicent of Paul all of them have shown that today, the saints of france are the youth.
Even Louis IX of France wore the crown of thorns, just as he had done in the 12th century.
At Notre Dame, Pope Leo XIV was able to venerate this relic that you see here, one of the most important in the country.
One significant element that enriched the events and made the waiting times more enjoyable was the music. There were choirs of all kinds: large ones, professional ones, and some with sweeter voices...
At the very spot where the Virgin Mary appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, Pope Leo XIV appeared to meet with the sick. Bernadette herself was depicted singing to the universal shepherd.
And it was the pope himself who led the candlelight procession alongside 50,000 faithful.
Pope Leo XIV might not have any ATP points and won't be competing at the French Open, but the mayor of Metz gave him a very special gift: a wooden tennis racket.
Just as he did on his trip to Spain, the pope served as the co-pilot on his own flight when the captain invited him into the cockpit.
And perhaps the most memorable image from this trip is not a crowded square, a cathedral, or a gesture by the pope, but France’s response to his presence: more than a million people mobilized over four days, including thousands of young people, the sick, and families.
A France that is much more vibrant than many had expected.
