Is being Catholic becoming “hip” in France? This is what social media and field reports from many French parishes have suggested, against all odds, following the start of Lent, March 5. 

In particular, an unprecedented surge in attendance for Ash Wednesday Masses this year was reported by Catholic weekly Famille Chrétienne that mentions a phenomenon “never seen before.” 

From major cities to rural parishes, priests and parishioners have in fact described scenes of packed pews, standing-room-only congregations, and, most notably, a remarkable influx of young people — many of whom had been previously distant from the Church.

The French magazine cited the example of the cathedral of Fréjus (southern France), filled beyond capacity for the first time ever on an Ash Wednesday, while midday Masses in Angoulême (western France) and Argenteuil (near Paris) also drew overflowing crowds. In Nantes (in the northwestern part of the country), a Mass for young people was so full that attendees were forced to stand throughout the service. Similar reports came from cities and rural areas alike, underscoring that the phenomenon was not limited to urban centers. 

In Lille, some even approached priests after the celebration to inquire about baptism or joining the Church. “We shattered attendance records,” Father Benoist de Sinety, parish priest of St. Eubert Church in Lille, told Famille Chrétienne. “Across the three Masses we offered, we had larger congregations than ever before. Nearly a thousand faithful gathered at Saint-Maurice Church in the evening — many of them young people attending for the first time.”

The reasons behind this trend — in a country known for its advanced level of dechristianization — are varied, but seem to reflect, according to the various sources mentioned, the youth’s search for meaning and structure in an uncertain world, where they often navigate difficult family situations or are faced with the loss of a loved one for the first time.

 

The Weight of Social Media … and Islam?

Social media and Catholic influencers have emerged, on the other hand, as significant factors driving this renewed interest.

Indeed, Catholic figures such as Dominican friar Frère Paul-Adrien, who boasts almost 470,000 followers on YouTube, or Soeur Albertine, a nun of Chemin Neuf Community with more than 270,000 Instagram followers, seem to have played a key role in introducing Christian themes to younger audiences away from the faith, sharing accessible and engaging content. 

The newfound attraction of these young people to Catholic religious practice has not escaped the attention of the secular press. A recent article in the Huffington Post expressed surprise at the significant upsurge in young Tiktok and Instagram influencers proudly displaying their foreheads marked with an ashen cross on camera as they entered Lent. 

The author partly linked the increased participation in Lent to the presence of Islam in French society and the growing visibility of Ramadan, which may have influenced young Catholics to engage more seriously with Lent. Father Benoît Pouzin, in particular, stated that young Catholics today feel a need to make their faith more visible, mirroring the way Muslims publicly engage with Ramadan: “If they are Christians, they want it to show. They don’t want to be lukewarm or bland. And that’s something very beautiful, unique to this new generation.”

Sociologist Isabelle Jonveaux also noted that the structured nature of Ramadan may have prompted some young Catholics to take their own faith more seriously during Lent, seeking greater clarity and discipline, asking whether they should fast at specific hours, take cold showers, abstain from smoking or drinking, or engage in other forms of self-denial. A parallel was also drawn with the spread of personal development and the desire for self-growth. 

All these testimonies have already raised the question for the Church hierarchy of how to better welcome these floods of pilgrims in the future and to adapt their pastoral care to sustain this renewed interest, providing meaningful support for those seeking deeper connection.

“We’re all afraid that we won’t be able to welcome and care for these people, and that they’ll end up being disappointed,” Pierre-Emmanuel Dieudonné told Famille Chrétienne, determined not to miss this promising opportunity for the Catholic Church. “It’s such a beautiful initiative they are taking! We have to be at the rendezvous.”