Pope Leo XIV held a youth vigil at the Stade de France in Paris on the first day of his visit to France.

What it means

Pope Leo XIV, on the first day of his state visit to France, held a youth prayer vigil at the Stade de France in Paris, drawing around 80,000 young people. The event marks the first papal state visit to France in 18 years and was the culmination of a day that included a speech at UNESCO and other engagements.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

Multiple reputable news outlets (France 24, RFI, Le Monde, Libération, FAZ) provide consistent, firsthand coverage of the event, confirming the vigil and its context as part of the official papal visit. The reports are based on direct observation and official schedules, making the core claim solid.

How new

The event occurred on September 25, 2026, so this is genuinely new coverage of a current event.

Go deeper

• France 24 (Europe) — first to publish