Pope Leo XIV greeted by 80,000 young Catholics at Stade de France near Paris

Pope Leo XIV received a rock-star welcome from around 80,000 young Catholics who filled the Stade de France, near Paris, on Friday evening, in an event blending gospel and contemporary Christian music.

Chants of "for the pope, for God, make some noise!" rang out across the stadium as the crowd, made up largely of young pilgrims, gathered to proclaim their faith. The pope arrived at the venue in his popemobile, greeted with cheers as he made his way around the stadium.

The gathering forms part of the pope's visit to France, which has drawn large crowds of young Catholics eager to see Pope Leo XIV in person. The blend of contemporary music and traditional elements of the Mass reflected an effort to engage younger worshippers, a theme that has featured prominently in the Catholic Church's outreach in recent years.

The scale of the turnout at the Stade de France, one of France's largest stadiums, underscored the level of interest generated by the pope's visit among younger members of the faith. Further details of the visit's programme were not immediately specified.

The evening's atmosphere, described as festival-like by those in attendance, highlighted the enthusiasm surrounding the pope's trip to France.