Papal vigil with Pope Leo XIV at the Stade de France
Papal vigil with Pope Leo XIV at the Stade de France
During his apostolic journey to France from 25 to 28 September 2026, Pope Leo XIV visited the Stade de France in Saint-Denis to take part in one of the highlights of his visit: a large vigil of prayer and a gathering with young people.
Sponsored by the Holy See and organised in Paris by the Diocese of Paris, this exceptional event was aimed at young people aged between 17 and 35. The programme included music, personal testimonies, speeches, times of prayer and moments of reflection.
A meeting between Pope Leo XIV and young people at the Stade de France
At the heart of this momentous evening, Pope Leo XIV came to meet the young people gathered at the Stade de France to talk with them and address them on key themes such as faith, freedom, commitment and the place of young people in the modern world.
For one evening, the Stade de France took on a whole new character. Usually associated with major sporting events and international concerts, the stadium was transformed into a vast space for gathering, silence and fellowship.
The Stade de France transformed for an extraordinary event
With its 80,000 seats, technical facilities and experience in hosting very large-scale gatherings, the Stade de France provided a setting worthy of this exceptional meeting with the Supreme Pontiff.
A stage design specially conceived for the event harnessed the stadium’s monumental scale to create a more intimate and spiritual atmosphere. For the duration of this vigil, the stands and the pitch of the Stade de France thus became a vast space for gathering and contemplation.
An iconic venue for major public events in France, the Stade de France is also a familiar setting for younger generations. Through this meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Saint-Denis, the stadium once again demonstrated its ability to reinvent itself and host international events of all kinds.
An exceptional evening in the history of the Stade de France, reminding us that the Saint-Denis stadium can be the setting for great collective and universal moments, far beyond the realms of sport and music.
The programme for the vigil
6.15 pm > Musical prologue
The evening kicked off with a musical line-up featuring Les Frangines, Monroe, Anisha Jo, Grégory Turpin, Natasha St-Pier, Tagra and Les Guetteurs.
7.30 pm > Start of the vigil
The vigil opened with a grand production celebrating the diverse realities of the Church in France. Pilgrims, catechumens, priests and men and women religious from all over France took to the stage, accompanied by the 2,500 choristers of Ecclesia Cantic, an orchestra and pop-worship artists.
The saints of France: the theme running through the evening
The lives of France’s great saints provided the theme for the evening. Their life stories and testimonies accompanied the various moments of reflection and prayer.
9.00 pm > Arrival of Pope Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV made his entrance at the Stade de France, where he was welcomed by Bishop Étienne Guillet of Saint-Denis and a number of young people; he took a tour of the stadium in the popemobile before making his way to the main stage.
Dialogue with the young people
Several young people took the floor to share the concerns and expectations of their generation. They then engaged in a discussion with the Holy Father during a question-and-answer session.
Prayer and the Holy Tunic of Argenteuil
A time of prayer dedicated to the saints of France was followed by a special display of the Holy Tunic of Argenteuil and a moment of quiet reflection.
Teaching, adoration and prayer
Pope Leo XIV then gave a talk based on Saint Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. The vigil continued with a time of adoration and prayer.
11.00 pm > End of the vigil
The evening drew to a close with the celebration of Compline, the final prayer of the day, marking the end of the vigil.
