PARIS — The Eiffel Tower — typically illuminated from dusk until early morning, etched among Paris’ iconic landmarks — has gone dark this evening, temporarily disappearing from the city’s skyline. But Notre-Dame Cathedral, just 4 kilometers east, remains aglow.
Unlike most evenings, France’s most visited monument did not open its doors to tourists eager to wander its historic corridors. Instead, it welcomed hundreds who gathered to mourn the passing of Pope Francis, whose death was announced Monday morning from Domus Sanctae Marthae, the Pope’s residence in Vatican City.
The evening vigil, held from 8 p.m. to midnight, marked the conclusion of the cathedral’s programming in honor of the Pope. Earlier, Notre-Dame hosted masses at noon and 6:00 p.m., with the cathedral’s bells tolling 88 times before the noon mass, honoring the Pope’s 88 years of life.
Attendees, undeterred by the pouring rain, gathered in Notre-Dame’s nave and side aisles, their voices rising in song and prayer as they stood before a banner of the late Pope, which overlooked the rows of filled seats. The public vigil, led by Monsignor Emmanuel Tois, auxiliary bishop of Paris, also included readings from several of the Pope’s past addresses and statements. Among them was his Urbi et Orbi blessing delivered in 2020, in which he prayed for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an interview with BFMTV this afternoon, Father Laurent Stalla-Bourdillon, a priest in Paris, noted the importance of Notre-Dame’s tribute to the late pope.
“It is the entire Church of Paris, and through Notre-Dame, no doubt the entire Church of France, which is calling for contemplation,” Stalla-Bourdillon said. “I almost want to tell you that his death brings us back to the message he served.”
The Pope passed away at 7:35 a.m. from a stroke and heart failure, just hours after delivering his highly anticipated Easter Sunday blessing in St. Peter’s Square. The appearance came less than a month after his release from the hospital, where he spent 38 days receiving treatment for double pneumonia and related complications.
In his final address, delivered through an aide, Pope Francis offered a message of hope and peace to the gathered crowd. He used the moment to call urgently for a ceasefire in Gaza, describing the ongoing conflict as one that “continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation.” Over the past year and a half, Pope Francis grew increasingly vocal in his criticism of the war.
The Pope stood apart from many traditionalists, known for reaching out to LGBTQ+ and marginalized communities, calling for justice for the poor and the displaced and speaking out forcefully against unchecked capitalism and the escalating climate crisis.
Before his Sunday address, Pope Francis also met briefly with JD Vance, exchanging Easter greetings with the Vice President.
In Paris, across Europe and around the world, mourners will continue honoring the passing of Pope Francis. His death marks the beginning of the Novendiale, a traditional nine-day period of mourning rooted in ancient Roman tradition. Italy is expected to officially declare national mourning tomorrow, likely spanning three days.
In a statement on Bluesky, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo acknowledged those grieving in France and beyond.
“In these hours of mourning, I extend, on behalf of myself and the people of Paris, my sincere condolences to the Catholics of Paris, France, and the entire world who mourns him today,” Hidalgo’s statement reads.
Pope Francis’ funeral is expected to take place in St. Peter’s Square between the fourth and sixth day after his passing. Honoring his personal wishes, the Pope will be laid to rest at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.