STORY: Pope Leo joined thousands of young Catholics for a prayer vigil at the Stade de France on Friday (September 25), closing the first day of a four-day visit to France.

Young faithful danced and sang inside the stadium before Leo arrived in the Popemobile, waving to cheering crowds. The pontiff later took to the stage as worshippers watched, prayed and filmed the event on their phones.

Earlier, Leo celebrated vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, religious figures and seminarians at Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral, where crowds gathered outside to greet him.

The pope also visited UNESCO headquarters in Paris, addressing an event focused on artificial intelligence, education, information integrity and artistic creation in the age of AI.

Leo's France trip, which runs until September 28, will also take him to Lourdes and Metz, where his programme includes religious services, meetings with French bishops and an inter-religious gathering focused on peace and European unity.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 25, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. BANNER OF THE EVENT ON STAGE

2. POPE LEO ON STAGE SALUTING AUDIENCE

3. PEOPLE FILMING ON MOBILE PHONE / APPLAUDING

4. PERSON FILMING ON PHONE

5. POPE LEO SEATED

6. AUDIENCE APPLAUDING

7. EIFFEL TOWER SEEN BEHIND FLAGS OF UNESCO MEMBER STATES

8. CLERGY GATHERED AROUND POPEMOBILE

9. POPE LEO GETTING ON POPEMOBILE

10. POPE LEO WAVING AT CROWDS AS POPEMOBILE DEPARTS

11. CROWDS STANDING AS CONVOY LEAVES

12. LEO ARRIVING AT NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL TO LEAD PRAYERS AND WAVES AT CROWDS

13. NUNS LOOKING ON

14. EXTERIOR OF NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

15. CROWDS LINED UP OUTSIDE THE CATHEDRAL

16. VARIOUS OF CROWDS WAITING FOR THE POPE TO COME OUT

17. POPE WAVING AT CROWDS

18. PEOPLE FILMING

19. VARIOUS OF POPE PRAYING IN FRONT OF A STATUE OUTSIDE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

20. FAITHFUL PRAYING

SAINT-DENIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 25, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

21. VARIOUS OF YOUNG FAITHFUL DANCING AND SINGING AT YOUTH VIGIL

22. VARIOUS OF POPE LEO ARRIVING ON POPEMOBILE AND WAVING AT CROWDS

23. VARIOUS OF CROWDS

24. LEO WAVING ON POPEMOBILE

25. CROWDS WATCHING LEO ON POPEMOBILE ON SCREEN

26. POPE SALUTING CROWDS ON STAGE

27. GIRL SHOWING POPE'S NAME (in Spanish) ON HER IPHONE SCREEN

28. PEOPLE WATCHING FIREWORKS

29. PEOPLE WAVING AT CAMERA