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
6 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 Leon XIV visits Notre-Dame Cathedral after diplomatic reception
Following a diplomatic reception at the Elysée Palace and a visit to UNESCO headquarters, Pope Leon XIV traveled in his popemobile through the Montparnasse quarter to Notre-Dame Cathedral around 16:00 on September 25, 2026. He became the first pope to visit Notre-Dame since its reopening in December 2024. He conducted vespers reserved for clergy starting at 17:15. The cathedral was closed to the public from September 24-26 for this exceptional celebration.
French President meets pope at Elysée Palace
President Emmanuel Macron hosted Pope Leon XIV at the Elysée Palace on September 25, 2026, in a formal diplomatic reception. The meeting also included the body diplomatic and civil society representatives. Unlike some previous papal visits, there was no private bilateral lunch between the two leaders, as the Pope preferred to take his meals at the papal nunciature (the official representation of the Holy See in Paris).
Church bells ring across France to celebrate papal arrival
Church bells throughout France rang for seven minutes on Friday, September 25, 2026, to celebrate Pope Leon XIV's arrival in the country as part of welcoming ceremonies for his visit.
Pope Leon XIV arrives in Paris at Orly airport
Pope Leon XIV landed at Paris-Orly airport on Friday, September 25, 2026, at approximately 10:00 AM local time, approximately two hours after departing Rome. He was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron and Macron's wife Brigitte upon arrival.
Pope Leon XIV addresses youth at Stade de France vigil
Pope Leon XIV attended a vigil at Stade de France in Saint-Denis from 18:30 to 22:30 on September 25, 2026, restricted to attendees aged 17-35. The event featured musical performances by Natasha Saint-Pier and Monroe (France's candidate for Eurovision 2026), followed by contemporary worship music. The Pope made an appearance at 21:00 with a lap of honor in his popemobile on the athletics track, then engaged in dialogue with youth about contemporary issues before concluding with prayer and presentation of a relic.
Pope Leon XIV begins first official state visit to France
Pope Leon XIV is conducting an official state visit to France from September 25-28, 2026, marking the first papal state visit to France in eighteen years. This is Leon XIV's first visit to France as pope. Previous papal visits to France include Benedict XVI's visit in 2008 (received by Nicolas Sarkozy) and John Paul II's visit in 1980 (received by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing). Pope Francis did not visit Paris, but visited Strasbourg, Marseille, and Ajaccio.
Pope Leo XIV to address UNESCO during France visit
Pope Leo XIV planned to deliver a speech at UNESCO, the United Nations agency for culture, during his France visit. The address emphasizes multilateralism as a method for promoting peace and reflects the Vatican's view that Europe's Christian historical roots obligate greater engagement with international institutions.
Pope Leo XIV to deliver Mass at Lourdes sanctuary on Sunday
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to celebrate Sunday Mass on the Lourdes sanctuary prairie at 11:00 AM on September 28. The Mass is expected to draw significant attendance from Catholic faithful and pilgrims.
French church bells ring nationwide to mark papal arrival
At 10:00 AM on Friday, church bells throughout France rang simultaneously to mark the arrival of Pope Leo XIV's aircraft at Orly Airport. This coordinated gesture symbolized the importance of the papal visit to the French Catholic community.
Pope Leo XIV delivers inaugural address at Élysée Palace
Pope Leo XIV delivered his first address of the French visit at the Élysée Palace on Friday morning. During the visit to the French presidential residence, he planned to address several important subjects including peace, humanitarian concerns, and religious matters relevant to France.
Pope Leo XIV arrives in France for first papal visit since 2025 election
Pope Leo XIV, a 71-year-old American pontiff whose grandmother emigrated from France to the United States, arrived in France on Friday for a four-day pastoral visit. His aircraft landed at Orly Airport near Paris at approximately 10:00 AM (08:00 GMT), where he was welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron. This is Leo XIV's first visit to France since his election in 2025 and his sixth papal journey overall since becoming pope.
Pope Leo XIV to visit Lourdes sanctuary on Saturday evening
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to arrive at Lourdes on Saturday at 19:00 hours, followed by private prayer at the sanctuary grotto at 19:40. This represents a significant moment in the papal visit as Lourdes is a major Catholic pilgrimage site in France.
Pope Leo XIV scheduled to meet abuse victims at Lourdes
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled for a private meeting with seven victims of sexual violence within the Church at 18:30 on Sunday at Lourdes. This encounter represents a significant moment in addressing the Church's abuse crisis, though it was noted that similar meetings during papal visits have sometimes generated controversy.
Expected attendance exceeds 600,000 in Paris for papal visit
Approximately 600,000 faithful are expected to attend papal events in Paris during Pope Leo XIV's four-day visit, with an additional 150,000 expected in Lourdes. These numbers reflect significant public interest in the pontiff's first official papal visit to France since his 2025 election.
Pope discusses migration crisis at Ceuta during France visit
During his flight to France, Pope Leo XIV addressed the humanitarian crisis at Ceuta, the Spanish enclave in North Africa, characterizing it as a genuine humanitarian emergency. He called for responses and solutions to prevent such crises from occurring in the future.
Pope Leo XIV comments on press freedom during papal journey
During his flight to France, Pope Leo XIV responded to questions about media credential revocations at the White House by stating he was very pleased that all journalists are welcomed in France. He emphasized the importance of press freedom being guaranteed everywhere and for everyone.
Pope Leo XIV plans visit to Metz during France tour
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit Metz on Monday as part of his four-day French tour. The Metz visit will include a significant address to Europe, reflecting the Vatican's emphasis on engaging with European institutions and the continent's Christian heritage.
Catholic baptisms in France surge significantly in 2026
More than 20,000 adult and adolescent baptisms occurred in France in 2026, more than double the number recorded in 2023. This represents a notable resurgence of spiritual interest among French Catholics and is cited as a primary objective for Pope Leo XIV's pastoral visit to encourage this religious revival.
Massive security deployment for papal visit to France
The three-stage papal visit to France (Paris, Lourdes, and Metz) mobilized extensive security resources: 17,000 volunteers, 15,000 police officers and gendarmes, 2,500 accredited journalists, and a budget of 27 million euros. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that security vigilance was at maximum levels, with dozens of individuals banned from access, though no specific threats had been identified.
Papal mass at Place de la Concorde expected to attract 600,000 faithful
A major mass was planned for Saturday at Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées during Pope Leo XIV's visit, with 600,000 faithful expected to attend. Several political figures were anticipated to participate, though President Emmanuel Macron was not expected to attend.
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.