Pope Leo XIV conducted Vespers at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, becoming the first pope to hold a ceremony there since the major fire in 2019.
On 25 September 2026, Pope Leo XIV, head of the Roman Catholic Church, while visiting Paris, France, officiated Vespers, the evening prayer service, inside Notre-Dame Cathedral. He is the first pope to perform a religious ceremony in this historic cathedral since the major fire in 2019, which caused severe damage.
Pope Leo XIV presided over Vespers amid priests and nuns attending the service. He admired the cathedral's beauty following extensive restoration, praising the work on the cream-colored limestone pillars and the stained-glass windows that had been carefully repaired. He also acknowledged the collaboration of craftsmen who helped restore the cathedral to its former state.
The fire in April 2019 caused severe damage to the cathedral's roof and key structural elements, creating a large hole in the ceiling above the central nave. France spent approximately five years restoring the cathedral, reopening it in 2024.
Source: BBC