French television network TF1 will broadcast live special programming for Pope Leo XIV's first official visit to France from September 25 to 28.
The four-day papal tour comes a year and a half after Pope Leo XIV was enthroned on May 18, 2025. It marks his first official visit to the country.
The main highlight of the trip takes place on Saturday, September 26, when the pope celebrates a massive open-air mass in central Paris. More than 500,000 people are expected to gather for the ceremony.
Pope Leo XIV serves as the bishop of Rome and head of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Paris ceremony will see the pontiff travel down the famous Champs-Élysées avenue in his popemobile before presiding over the mass at Place de la Concorde, the largest public square in the French capital.
Paris Mass Broadcast Details
TF1 Group is mobilizing its broadcast resources across its television channels to cover the procession and mass. Anchors Anne-Claire Coudray and Gilles Bouleau will present a special edition program on TF1 starting live at 1:35 pm on September 26.
Coudray and Bouleau are senior news anchors for the network. In the studio, the duo will host top Vatican specialists and analysts of French society to discuss the broad public enthusiasm for a pope who has already left a strong mark on his pontificate.
Journalist Darius Rochebin will report live from Place de la Concorde. About ten special correspondents will also be stationed along the route at the Arc de Triomphe monument, along the Champs-Élysées, and at Place de la Concorde to capture the atmosphere and scale of the crowds.
TF1 is France's dominant free-to-air commercial television network, while its sister channel LCI provides 24-hour news coverage. Both channels will carry the live afternoon special concurrently.
Stade de France Youth Vigil
Special coverage begins the previous evening, Friday, September 25, with a prayer vigil held for young Christians at the Stade de France. LCI will air a live special program dedicated to the event beginning at 7:30 pm.
More than 80,000 young Christians are expected to gather at the stadium for what event organizers describe as a celebration of fellowship, faith, and communion. The evening represents another central milestone of the four-day visit.
Darius Rochebin will lead LCI's coverage from a custom studio set constructed inside the stadium, joined by a panel of invited experts. On-field reporter Margot Haddad will be positioned near the main stage to interview attendees and gauge audience reactions.
The youth event will also feature a musical performance by singer Anisha Jo, who said performing at the event fulfilled a dream. The Stade de France, located in Saint-Denis just north of Paris, is the national stadium of France.
