{"id":60685,"date":"2026-08-28T15:02:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T13:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/nieuws\/young-people-in-france-are-gearing-up-for-the-popes-visit-next-month\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T15:02:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T13:02:00","slug":"young-people-in-france-are-gearing-up-for-the-popes-visit-next-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/en\/nieuws\/young-people-in-france-are-gearing-up-for-the-popes-visit-next-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Young people in France are gearing up for the Pope’s visit next month"},"content":{"rendered":"
In less than a month, Pope Leo XIV\u2019s visit to France will begin \u2014 the first papal visit to the country in 18 years. Young people, in particular, are eagerly looking forward to the encounter and will be among those accompanying the Pope during his visit.<\/p>\n
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By Dorota Abdelmoula-Viet<\/b><\/p>\n
Although Pope Francis visited French territories three times \u2014 in 2014, when he addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg; in 2023, when he travelled to Marseille for the Mediterranean Meetings; and in 2024, when he visited Corsica for a congress on popular piety \u2014 Pope Leo XIV’s visit of will be the first papal apostolic journey to France in 18 years.<\/p>\n
The young people who met Pope Benedict XVI at Notre-Dame Cathedral in 2008 are now parents themselves, with children who are eagerly awaiting the Pope\u2019s visit \u2014 the first papal encounter of their lives and the first \u201cin their adult life\u201d for their parents.<\/p>\n
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Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II During Their Visits to France <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
80,000 places reserved in the blink of an eye<\/h2>\n
The level of interest among young people in Pope Leo\u2019s visit is evident from the fact that all the available spots completely filled up \u2014 around 80,000 \u2014 at the Stade de France near Paris in just one hour. On 25 September, the stadium will host a vigil with the Holy Father, marking the first religious gathering to take place at France\u2019s largest sports venue.<\/p>\n
Although the detailed programme for the gathering has not yet been announced, reports appearing in the media suggest that growing numbers of young people in France are taking an interest in Christianity.<\/p>\n
Their role models are often witnesses to faith themselves. Among the young people who will perform for the Pope will be Monroe, a 17-year-old singer who openly speaks about her relationship with God. She represented France at this year\u2019s Eurovision Song Contest and, in her daily life, travels around the country performing religious songs in French cathedrals.<\/p>\n
An Augustinian \u201ccity\u201d preparing to meet an Augustinian Pope<\/h2>\n
One of the groups preparing most actively for the meeting with the Pope is La Cit\u00e9 Celeste, a network bringing together young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the Paris Region.<\/p>\n
Its name, meaning \u201cHeavenly City\u201d, is naturally associated with the biblical New Jerusalem and takes on a new significance during the pontificate of a Pope whose spiritual mentor, St Augustine, also wrote about the heavenly polis<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Some of these young people \u2014 including some who have not yet been baptised \u2014 took part in last year\u2019s Youth Jubilee in Rome. They asked numerous questions about faith, and that experience in Rome motivated them to come out to meet the Pope in France as well.<\/p>\n
Among the organisers of the vigil at the Stade de France is Fr Alexis Germon, a co-founder of La Cit\u00e9 Celeste and a member of the Community of Saint Martin. In an interview with the weekly Famille Chr\u00e9tienne<\/i>, he explained that the vigil will feature the stories of French saints, inviting young people to pursue holiness personally, even if they embraced the faith and received baptism only as adults.<\/p>\n
Neophytes: Hope for the Church<\/h2>\n
Pope Leo will also address young people when he meets with neophytes and catechumens at the campus of the Catholic Institute of Paris. Their growing numbers in recent years have both surprised and delighted the French Church. During this year\u2019s Easter Vigil alone, more than 21,300 people were baptised.<\/p>\n
This will be the second time the Pope has addressed this group. Last year, it was the newly baptised and catechumens from France whom Pope Leo received at a private audience in the Vatican.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollowing the Lord, you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world,\u201d the Pope told them at the time. \u201cThe Church needs your beautiful witness of faith in order to grow and to remain close to every person in need.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Today, they are helping to organise the volunteer effort supporting the Pope\u2019s visit to France. They are proud that, although they are \u201cthose baptised at the eleventh hour\u201d \u2014 echoing Jesus\u2019 parable of the workers hired at the end of the day \u2014 they can take part in an event of such importance for the whole Church.<\/p>\n
10,000 students<\/h2>\n
Although the vigil at the Stade de France is intended for \u201colder young people\u201d, middle- and high-school students are also preparing for their opportunity to meet the Pope.<\/p>\n
On the morning of 26 September, before setting out for the Pope\u2019s Mass on the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es and at Place de la Concorde, they will take part in a prayer gathering modelled on the one organised for them each spring.<\/p>\n
Registration will not open until September, but organisers are already expecting at least 10,000 participants.<\/p>\n
\u201cYoung people really want to come together to celebrate the Pope\u2019s arrival,\u201d says Fr Jean-Michel Dupont, who is responsible for organising the gathering for teenagers.<\/p>\n
Pope Leo\u2019s visit to France will take place from 25 to 28 September. Its theme is \u201cSo that the world may have life,\u201d referring to Jesus\u2019 Eucharistic Discourse in Chapter 6 of the Gospel according to St John, particularly John 6:51.<\/p>\n
The Pope will visit Paris, Lourdes and Metz in succession.<\/p>\n
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