In Carquefou, the Desfossés candle factory produced 100,000 candles for the visit of Pope Leo XIV
In Carquefou, Loire-Atlantique, the Desfossés candle factory made candles for the parishes for the visit of Pope Leo XIV to France, from September 25 to 28, 2026. The trip is now over: the company located near Nantes contributed to its preparation, but the pope did not visit the department.
Two series of candles, 100,000 units announced.
According to a 20 Minutes article published on Friday, September 25, the candle factory initially produced 80,000 small votive candles bearing the Pope’s image, which were distributed to various parishes. It then manufactured 20,000 novena lamps adorned with the official image of the trip, after responding to a call for tenders from the Conference of Bishops of France. These figures, reported by the media outlet, are not accompanied by a separate production report published by the company.
The order mobilized the teams at the Carquefou factory, which the article lists as having 65 employees. The industrial manager quoted by 20Minutes described an organization adapted to the deadlines and the intense summer heat, which particularly complicated the paraffin processing.
Locally made for a national event
The candles were intended to be offered in parishes, so that the faithful could pray even far from the stops on the papal journey. The Desfossés candle shop does indeed display a commemorative votive candle dedicated to the visit of Leo XIV. The official trip took place in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz, from September 25 to 28, according to the Ministry of the Interior .
For the company, the operation was as much about religious expertise as it was about visibility: its manager indicated that sales related to the visit were not expected to significantly impact revenue, even though commemorative candles were already among the most popular products. No final sales figures or financial results after the trip are available in the documents consulted.
Source: 20Minutes – Nantes News
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