Pope Leo XIV is set to visit France from September 25 to 28, with a packed schedule that includes meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, representatives of civil society, and a speech at UNESCO's headquarters. The visit's motto, "That the world may have life," is a call to hope and communion, encouraging people to overcome divisions and share peace, reconciliation, and fraternity. This visit comes after the pope's trip to Spain in June.
The security arrangements for the visit are extensive, with 14,000 police officers, gendarmes, and military personnel, as well as 2,500 firefighters, deployed in Paris on Friday. The number of security personnel will only be slightly lower during the pope's Mass at Place de la Concorde on Saturday, which has attracted over 600,000 registered attendees. Several métro and commuter train stations have been temporarily closed, and many streets in the city center are also shut down.
On Friday, September 25, Pope Leo XIV will arrive in Paris at 10 am CET, followed by a welcome ceremony and a meeting with President Macron at the Élysée Palace. He will then meet with representatives of civil society, authorities, and the diplomatic corps, and deliver a speech at UNESCO's headquarters. The visit to UNESCO is particularly significant, given the organization's budget shortfalls after the US withdrew in 2025.
The pope's visit will also include a celebration of Vespers at Notre-Dame Cathedral, where he will give a homily, and a prayer vigil with young people at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis. On Saturday, September 26, he will visit the Maison Bakhita Centre, which provides social support for people living in exile, and hold an audience at the Institut Catholique de Paris.
On Sunday, September 27, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Lourdes, where he will pray at the Grotto of the Apparitions at Massabielle and meet with bishops of the French Episcopal Conference. He will also hold Mass at the Prairie of the Shrine and spend time meeting with staff and patients at Acceuil Notre Dame, a specialized residential healthcare facility.
During his visit to Lourdes, Pope Leo XIV is also scheduled to meet with seven sexual abuse victims of the French clergy. An inquiry in 2021 found that clergy or lay members of the Catholic Church had abused about 330,000 people as minors in France over a span of 70 years. The Church has faced further scandals, including accusations against charity icon Abbé Pierre and widespread abuse at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram boarding school.
On his final day in France, Pope Leo XIV will attend an "To the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity" meeting at the "Robert Schuman" Conference Centre in Metz, and end his visit with a Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Stephen. He will depart France on Monday night at 7 pm, concluding his four-day visit that aimed to promote peace, unity, and hope.
Key points
- Over 600,000 people have registered for Pope Leo XIV's Mass at Place de la Concorde in Paris.
- The pope's visit to UNESCO highlights the organization's efforts to overcome budget shortfalls.
- Pope Leo XIV will meet with seven sexual abuse victims of the French clergy during his visit to Lourdes.
