Pope Leo XIV began a historic visit to France on Friday, marking the first formal papal visit to the country since September 2008. French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron welcomed the pontiff at the Élysée Palace in Paris. The high-profile trip includes major public events, a speech at UNESCO headquarters focusing on artificial intelligence and human dignity, and private meetings with clerical abuse survivors as part of an apostolic journey.
What events are scheduled during the visit to France?
Organizers expect up to one million people to attend a mass led by Pope Leo XIV on Saturday at Paris' Place de la Concorde. During his four-day itinerary, the pontiff is scheduled to visit UNESCO headquarters, hold a prayer service at the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral, and travel to Lourdes to meet privately with seven victims of clerical abuse. He will conclude his trip in Metz on Monday to champion European unity.
Why is this visit to France significant?
The papal visit coincides with a notable rise in adult baptisms across France, with more than 21,000 adults joining the Catholic Church this year. At the same time, the journey addresses deep historical wounds following past clerical abuse scandals and takes place against the backdrop of recent national debates concerning bioethics, immigration, and technological regulation.
