Paris: Pope Leo XIV has called the Church in France to look to the future with hope and renewed commitment as he celebrated Vespers at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, a symbol of the city that was badly damaged by fire in 2019 and later restored.
The Pope celebrated Evening Prayer at the cathedral as bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, seminarians and other members of the French Church gathered with him. Sunlight entered through the stained glass windows while the organ and choir accompanied the prayer.
The visit came nearly two years after Notre Dame reopened in December 2024 following an extensive restoration process.
Before Vespers, Pope Leo venerated a relic of the crown of thorns, associated with the Passion of Christ and his suffering before the Resurrection.
In his homily, the Pope recalled the importance of Notre Dame to generations of people in Paris. He said the cathedral had long invited people to lift their eyes towards heaven.
He also remembered the fire of 15 April 2019, when the cathedral was engulfed in flames and people gathered in the streets to pray as they watched the disaster unfold.
The Pope said the tragedy had reminded people of how powerless human beings can be when faced with unexpected events. At the same time, he said the effort to rebuild Notre Dame showed that the cathedral was more than a monument.
For Pope Leo, the restoration revealed the importance of the cathedral to the French people and its place at the centre of a civilization where the past and future meet, and where heaven and earth come together.
The restored cathedral has become a sign of renewal for the French Church as well. Pope Leo urged those gathered to become living stones of a Church that hopes rather than fears the future.
He said Notre Dame had been reborn and encouraged the faithful to experience their own renewal through a stronger commitment to holiness and daily mission.
The Pope also urged the Church to bring God's love to everyone. He described this love as a force capable of changing lives and hearts and healing deep wounds.
His message returned to the central image of light emerging from darkness and ashes, linking the Church's spiritual mission to the story of Notre Dame's destruction and restoration.
At the end of the celebration, Pope Leo drew attention to a fourteenth-century statue of the Virgin and Child that survived the fire. The statue, he said, now shines once again in the restored cathedral.
For the French Church, the Pope's visit brought together memories of the devastating fire, the successful restoration of Notre Dame and a call to renewed faith and mission.