'Leo, Leo': Young Catholics give pope rockstar welcome in France

Saint-Denis, France: Waving a homemade sign reading, "I can't, I've got the pope," 17-year-old Marie Mabre joined tens of thousands of young Catholics who flocked to see Pope Leo XIV at a stadium near Paris on Friday evening.

"It's so cool to think we're lucky enough to meet the Pope," the teenager told AFP, sitting on the ground outside the Stade de France with her friend, Pia Machet, also 17.

The two were among some 80,000 Catholic youth who filled the stadium in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, where gospel singers in white robes belted out hymns as the crowd sang along, waiting for the pontiff to arrive.

When Pope Leo rolled into the venue in his popemobile, the crowd erupted into ear-splitting cheers, giving the pontiff, on a four-day official visit to France, a rockstar welcome.

"Leo, Leo, Leo," the crowd chanted.

Some on the stadium floor sprinted from their sections to catch a closer glimpse.

"You are the saints of France," Pope Leo told the attendees, speaking in French, the stadium falling silent as he answered questions and led the crowd in prayer.

After the vigil, Jose Karo, 25, emerged from the stadium, still buzzing from the evening.

"It was magnificent," said Karo, who works in construction.

"It was a beautiful occasion to gather as young Christians, and to see that faith isn't lost."

'What future' 

But beyond the excitement, Karo said the pope's message of hope had struck a chord at a time when the future could feel uncertain.

"As young people, we ask ourselves what our future will look like, what kind of world is waiting for us," Karo said.

It was that same uncertainty that had brought Machet from Versailles looking for reassurance.

"There are loads of wars, loads of problems and loads of doubts," the 17-year-old said.

"We young people are affected by this."

The leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics led the evening vigil in a country that has grown increasingly secular over recent decades.

The proportion of French people describing themselves as Catholic has fallen from 85 percent in the 1960s to 46 percent in recent years, according to a survey last year published by La Croix newspaper.

For Jean Pelee, 27, the sight of so many young believers gathered in one place was a striking change from what he was used to.

"I go to mass every Sunday, and it's true that I'm used to seeing a somewhat older crowd there," he said.

Helie de Montey, a 26-year-old consultant from the Paris region, was waiting for friends to join him after managing to get a ticket.

"I was lucky enough to grab one when I logged on, but you really had to be online at the right moment, because everything was snapped up in a matter of seconds," he said.

Being there was an opportunity for "shared joy" among young Catholics who might not be surrounded by others who share their faith in their day-to-day lives, he said.

"It's important to feel that we're not the only Catholics," he said.

'Resurgence of faith' 

The gathering comes as the Church in France is seeing signs of renewed interest among younger generations.

While the number of infant christenings has dwindled in recent years, teenage and adult baptisms are on the rise, with thousands choosing to embrace the faith.

Some 13,200 adults and 8,200 adolescents aged 11 to 17 are expected to be baptised in 2026 -- increases of 28 percent and 10 percent respectively from the previous year, according to the Catholic Church in France.

Loimon Ossane, a 25-year-old international business student, was among those at the stadium wearing a purple silk scarf around their neck, marking them out as adults preparing for baptism.

"There's been something of a resurgence of faith amongst young people, so it's heart-warming to see so many of them here," Ossane said.