Three cities, one song: the Pueri Cantores accompany Pope Leo XIV
Stade de France, Place de la Concorde, Prairie de Lourdes, Metz Cathedral: From September 25 to 28, 2026, wherever Pope Leo XIV goes in France, a child’s voice rings out – that of the Pueri Cantores choirs
Paris: Pope Leo XIV and the Vigil at the Stade de France
On Friday evening, 80,000 young people gathered at the Stade de France for the grand prayer vigil. Among the performers was a voice that France discovered at Eurovision – that of Monroe – who is touring France’s cathedrals this year, accompanied at each stop by a different Pueri Cantores choir. That evening, she is accompanied by the Maîtrise de Reims.
The next day, Saturday, September 26, the Holy Father celebrated a solemn Mass at Place de la Concorde and on the Champs-Élysées, before a crowd of 400,000 pilgrims. Among them, approximately 250 young people from Pueri Cantores France took part in the celebration and sang from among the congregation, alongside all the faithful gathered for the occasion.
Lourdes, September 25–28: Our National Choir accompanies Pope Leo XIV
While Paris was hosting these major events, our National Choir headed for the Pyrenees. About forty of our choristers arrived on Friday in L’Hospitalet, just outside the shrine, for several days of rehearsals ahead of the weekend’s celebrations. The stay also included a time of prayer at the Grotto, just as so many pilgrims have done before them.
On Saturday evening, a prayer vigil had already brought pilgrims together at the site. On Sunday, September 27 – the day of the Mass presided over by Leo XIV on the meadow facing the Grotto, in front of nearly 250,000 people according to the shrine – the National Choir accompanied Pope Leo XIV for this pontifical Mass. Our 40 young singers were joined by a few voices from the Route Chantante, forming an ensemble of about 70 choristers. That same evening, they took part in the Marian torchlight procession – a tradition of the shrine dating back to the 19th century – before boarding the train again on Monday.
Metz: Pope Leo XIV concludes his visit at the cathedral
That same Monday, the voices of the Petits Chanteurs echoed beneath the vaults of Saint-Étienne Cathedral in Metz – nicknamed “God’s Lantern” and the only French cathedral where Pope will celebrate Mass during this trip.
The cathedral’s choir, one of our 90 member choirs across France, sang during the pontifical Mass that concluded the visit. The occasion could not be more timely: the choir is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and to say that the Pope’s visit feels like a birthday gift would be an understatement. Aleteia has dedicated an article to the choir; read it to understand what this Mass means to the young choristers from Metz.
Three cities, three choirs, one family: the Petits Chanteurs de France, united around St. Peter’s successor.
