‘I hope France wakes up’: Young Catholics flood the streets for Pope Leo's Paris visit

Pope Leo XIV called for dialogue and diversity in France ahead of the country's presidential election, urging citizens to embrace a free society that prevents authoritarian tendencies. The Pope's remarks came as far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, leads opinion polls ahead of the election. France's traditional parties have struggled to maintain voter support amid the rise of nationalist and far-right parties.

Pope Leo's defense of religious freedom is particularly significant in light of Le Pen's campaign against immigration and the Muslim headscarf. The Pope emphasized that righteous secularism does not exclude religion from public spaces, and that dialogue is especially urgent in modern-day France, where people of differing cultural and religious backgrounds must coexist.

Pope Leo's visit to France included stops at UNESCO, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and a youth vigil at the Stade de France, where he is expected to celebrate Mass on Saturday with an estimated 600,000 attendees on the Champs-Elysées. French politics have become increasingly polarized in recent years, with the far-right and far-left parties gaining ground, while traditional parties struggle to remain relevant after a decade of President Emmanuel Macron's leadership.

Pope Leo's visit is not intended to provide voting instructions or criticize Le Pen's supporters, but rather to offer a message of unity and understanding in the face of growing political division.