Something is stirring in France, and Pope Leo XIV is pointing directly to the Holy Spirit.
In a stunning display of public faith in one of Europe’s increasingly secular nations, an estimated 800,000 people flooded the heart of Paris Saturday for an open-air Mass with Pope Leo, packing the famed Champs-Élysées and Place de la Concorde.
According to The Associated Press, the turnout blew past expectations. About 600,000 people had registered beforehand, but the Vatican estimated the final crowd at 800,000.
Yet the staggering crowd may not be the most significant part of what unfolded.
Leo used the moment to pray for nothing less than a move of the Holy Spirit across France.
“From this beautiful city of Paris, I pray fervently that the living water of the Holy Spirit may flow throughout France,” Leo said during his homily.
He also challenged Christians not to hide away their faith, but to “let it overflow” so others could be spiritually refreshed.
Those words carry particular weight in France.
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The AP noted that church attendance has declined as secularization has swept across France and much of Europe. France also maintains a strict separation between church and state. Yet on Saturday, the streets of Paris told another story: hundreds of thousands gathered publicly around the Christian faith.
And the crowds aren’t the only sign worth watching.
Earlier Saturday, while speaking at the Catholic Institute of Paris, Leo highlighted the growing number of new converts in the country.
“We must recognize, welcome and protect the small flame that the Holy Spirit has kindled in the darkness of the night, the tiny seed that strives to grow even amid the thorns,” he said.
That “small flame” appears to be getting brighter. Something is capturing a new generation’s attention.
The night before the Paris Mass, approximately 80,000 young adults filled France’s national stadium for a massive vigil featuring a theatrical presentation of French Catholic history. Their enthusiasm apparently caught Leo’s attention.
“Thank you for your courage! Thank you for your presence,” Leo told them in French, according to the AP. “Thank you for your faith. You are the saints of France!”
In a nation where Christianity’s influence has waned for generations, hundreds of thousands gathered publicly in the center of Paris as a pope prayed for the “living water of the Holy Spirit” to flow across France. There is no greater time or opportunity that this could have happened than right now.
Perhaps the prayer rising from Paris is one that believers everywhere can join: Holy Spirit, let the living water flow.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
