Pope concludes France visit in Metz after Lourdes sanctuary pilgrimage
Pope concludes France visit in Metz after Lourdes pilgrimage, completing four-day apostolic mission.
Event / Society
Pope Leo XIV France Visit
Pope's visit to France including meetings with abuse victims and statements on sexual violence in the Catholic Church
5 reported locations
Daily activity
60 articles0 articles
2026-09-21 to 2026-11-01 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 21 Sept, 11:56 UTC
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What happened
Pope celebrates major outdoor mass at Place de la Concorde on September 26
Pope Leon XIV is scheduled to celebrate a large solemn open-air mass on September 26, 2026, at 3:00 PM at Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Approximately 600,000 faithful have registered to attend, with the perimeter extended to accommodate the large number of expected attendees.
Pope meets President Macron at Élysée Palace
Pope Leon XIV is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on September 25, 2026, following his arrival at Paris-Orly airport. This meeting is part of the official reception program for the papal visit.
Pope celebrates mass at Lourdes sanctuary on September 27
Pope Leon XIV is scheduled to visit Lourdes in Hautes-Pyrénées on September 27-28, 2026, where he will pray at the Grotto of Apparitions at the Notre-Dame de Lourdes sanctuary and celebrate mass during a two-day stay.
Pope visits Maison Bakhita in Paris to meet people in precarious situations
Pope Leon XIV is scheduled to visit Maison Bakhita in the 18th arrondissement of Paris on September 27, 2026, to meet with people living in precarious situations. The location is named after Jacqueline Bakhita (1869-1947), a Sudanese enslaved woman who became a nun.
Pope visits Metz on final day of French apostolic visit
Pope Leon XIV is scheduled to visit Metz in Moselle on September 28, 2026, the final day of his apostolic journey to France. He will attend the Robert-Schuman Congress Center and conduct a papamobile route through the streets of the city before returning to Rome.
Pope visits UNESCO headquarters during Paris visit
Pope Leon XIV is scheduled to visit UNESCO headquarters during his September 25-26 visit to Paris as part of his official apostolic journey to France.
Pope's apostolic visit to France concludes on September 28, 2026
Pope Leon XIV's four-day apostolic visit to France is scheduled to end on September 28, 2026, when he departs for Rome after visiting Paris, Lourdes, and Metz. This is his first official visit to France as Pope.
Pope attends prayer vigil with 80,000 youth at Stade de France
Pope Leon XIV is scheduled to hold a major prayer vigil with approximately 80,000 young people at Stade de France during his September 25-26 visit to Paris.
Church bells throughout France ring for seven minutes to mark Pope's arrival
All church bells in France are scheduled to ring simultaneously for seven minutes starting at 10:00 AM on September 25, 2026, coinciding with Pope Leon XIV's arrival at Paris-Orly airport. This symbolic gesture, coordinated by the Conference of Bishops of France, allows Catholics and others throughout the country to participate in welcoming the pontiff's apostolic journey.
Pope conducts papamobile route through Paris streets on September 25
Pope Leon XIV is scheduled to travel by papamobile through the streets of Paris on September 25, 2026, at 5:00 PM, passing between the church of Notre-Dame-des-Champs and Place Saint-Michel, covering approximately 2.5 kilometers. Church bells in Paris will ring again at 5:00 PM to mark his passage.
Pope Leon XIV arrives at Paris-Orly airport on September 25, 2026
Pope Leon XIV is scheduled to arrive at Paris-Orly airport on Friday, September 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM, marking the beginning of an official four-day apostolic visit to France. An official welcome ceremony is planned at the airport to launch the papal visit.
Pope declines to meet Notre-Dame cathedral rebuilders during France visit
The Vatican declined President Macron's request for Pope Leon XIV to meet with the rebuilders of Notre-Dame cathedral during the papal visit. French officials had hoped the Pope would meet with those responsible for reconstructing the cathedral after the 2019 fire, but this was not included in the final itinerary due to scheduling constraints.
Outdoor papal mass scheduled for Place de la Concorde in Paris on September 26
Pope Leon XIV will celebrate an outdoor mass on Saturday, September 26 at 3 p.m. on the Place de la Concorde and Champs-Élysées in Paris. The event is expected to draw approximately one million people. Extensive security measures will be deployed for the papal visit, particularly for the Parisian weekend events.
Emmanuel Macron to introduce Pope's speech on European peace and unity in Metz
President Emmanuel Macron will introduce Pope Leon XIV's speech titled 'Aux racines de l'Europe pour la paix et l'unité' (At the roots of Europe for peace and unity) at the Robert-Schuman Congress Center in Metz on Monday, September 28. Macron will speak on the theme of European construction as a model for peace. All EU member state leaders and representatives of EU institutions have been invited to this European-format event.
Pope Leon XIV to visit France for four-day apostolic visit from September 25-28
Pope Leon XIV will conduct a four-day apostolic visit to France, traveling from Paris to Metz via Lourdes. The visit runs from September 25 to September 28, 2026. During the visit, the Pope will deliver a major speech on European unity and peace at the Robert-Schuman Congress Center in Metz on Monday.
Pope Leon XIV refuses state honors and ceremonial events during French visit
The Vatican declined several elements of the traditional French state visit protocol for Pope Leon XIV, including a refusal to receive the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor and declining to attend state lunches or dinners. The Pope's visit was framed as an apostolic journey rather than a state visit, leading to adjustments in ceremonial protocol.
Emmanuel Macron will not attend any masses during Pope Leon XIV's visit to France
The French President announced through the Elysée that he will not attend any of the masses celebrated by Pope Leon XIV during the papal visit to France from September 25-28. This decision was made to maintain the secular nature of the French state. Macron will instead be represented by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and First Lady Brigitte Macron at the outdoor mass on Saturday, September 26 at the Place de la Concorde in Paris.
Over 5,000 pilgrims from Béarn and Basque regions attending papal visit
More than 5,184 people from Béarn and the Basque regions are registered to attend Pope Leo XIV's visit to France, representing the largest departmental delegation. These pilgrims will travel to Paris on Friday and attend the mass on Sunday.
Over 60,000 people expected for Pope Leo XIV's Metz visit
Approximately 60,000 people in total are expected in the city of Metz for Pope Leo XIV's final stop on September 28, 2026. A papal motorcade of over two kilometers has been planned, and multiple 'Pope zones' have been set up throughout the city.
Pope Leo XIV to deliver speech on Europe at Metz with President Macron
Pope Leo XIV will participate in a meeting titled 'At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity' in Metz on September 28, 2026 and deliver a speech on Europe in the presence of President Emmanuel Macron. The event emphasizes the connection between European construction and peace.
Read the coverage
2 alternative perspectives
Paris masses draw record crowds as Pope emphasizes spiritual renewal
Pope's Paris ceremonies draw unprecedented crowds amid surge in French Catholic baptisms.
Pope Leo XIV visits Lourdes sanctuary for spiritual pilgrimage and prayer
Pope Leo XIV conducts spiritual pilgrimage at Lourdes, presiding over mass and religious processions.
Pope and France clash over bioethics as nation embraces aid-in-dying
Pope Leo XIV addresses bioethical tensions with France as nation legalizes aid-in-dying, exposing Vatican-French governance conflicts.
Historic Paris crowds exceed expectations at papal masses
Pope Leo XIV's Paris masses attracted unprecedented crowds exceeding 600,000 at outdoor ceremonies.
France legalizes aid-in-dying as Pope addresses bioethics tensions
France legalizes aid-in-dying as Pope visits, highlighting bioethical tensions between Vatican teaching and French legislation.
Pope reaffirms Vatican opposition to nuclear weapons doctrine
Pope reaffirms Vatican opposition to nuclear weapons and deterrence during France visit.
Pope warns artificial intelligence threatens human dignity and warns of machine paradise
Pope Leo XIV's inaugural encyclical addresses AI risks to human dignity and warns of mechanistic futures.
Pope celebrates vespers at restored Notre-Dame, affirms press freedom
Pope celebrates first mass at restored Notre-Dame, affirms media freedom support during Paris visit.
Catholic baptisms surge across France amid papal spiritual renewal
French Catholic baptisms surge following Pope Leo XIV's spiritual renewal campaign across France.
Pope addresses migration and press freedom during France visit
Pope addresses migration and press freedom, expanding humanitarian advocacy during France visit.
Pope meets abuse survivors in Lourdes, advancing spiritual accountability
Pope Leo XIV met abuse survivors in Lourdes, advancing institutional accountability through direct engagement with vulnerable populations.