Pope’s Saint-Denis Visit Highlights Left-Wing Unity Against Catholic Far-Right
During a youth prayer event at Stade de France, Pope Leo XIV met with Saint-Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko, a France Insoumise politician, underscoring a symbolic alliance between progressive Catholics and the left.
Pope Leo XIV traveled to Saint-Denis for a youth-focused prayer service at the Stade de France, where he greeted mayor Bally Bagayoko, a Muslim-faith member of France Insoumise. Bagayoko highlighted issues such as Islamophobia, social integration and acknowledgment of genocides in Palestine, Sudan and the DRC, turning the papal visit into a platform for progressive politics. The event combined traditional liturgy with multicultural performances, fireworks and speeches from non-Catholic youth, aiming to appeal to a broad audience without overt party alignment.
Far-right organization SOS Calvaires erected a towering cross on the stadium grounds, while progressive Catholic figures like Théo Moy and Étienne Guillet emphasized interfaith unity. Left-wing leaders, including Jean-Luc Mélenchon, expressed admiration for the pope’s humanist encyclical, framing the visit as a symbolic rebuke of the Catholic far right’s growing sway in France.
Why it matters
It shows how religious symbolism is being leveraged to challenge far-right narratives within French society.
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