Pope Leo XIV made a grand entrance on his first official visit to France in 18 years, waving to crowds from his "popemobile" in Paris. The Vatican's yellow-and-white colors adorned balconies and sidewalks as he journeyed to Notre Dame cathedral. Believers rushed to kiss his hand, and he blessed a little girl hoisted above the crowd. The pope's visit comes at a time of tense transatlantic ties and Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The pope inspected renovations at Notre Dame Cathedral, which suffered a devastating fire in 2019. He was the first pope to do so, following in the footsteps of his predecessor Pope Francis, who did not attend the cathedral's reopening in 2024. Pope Leo XIV's visit also included a speech at the presidential palace, where he emphasized the need for education in ethical discernment to safeguard humanity against artificial intelligence.
In his address, Pope Leo XIV warned that humanity could lose itself in a "paradise of machines" if not careful. He stressed the importance of "authentic secularity" that does not exclude religion from the public sphere or education. The pope's comments come amid debates on France's secularism and its implications for religious symbols in public spaces.
French President Emmanuel Macron received Pope Leo XIV at the Élysée presidential palace. The pope urged France to remain a "tireless champion of peace" and multilateralism, particularly in Europe. He also visited the headquarters of UNESCO, the UN culture and education agency.
A million people are expected to attend events across Paris during the first two days of Pope Leo XIV's trip. The high point of his visit will be a giant mass on Saturday at Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées. He will also visit Lourdes, a pilgrimage site, and Metz, near the German border, where he will speak about peace in Europe.
Pope Leo XIV's visit has drawn large crowds, with some traveling from afar to catch a glimpse of him. Terry Spytek, 83, from the United States, said it was worth traveling for just three seconds of seeing the pope. Frenchman David Charton, 53, arrived at 6:00 am to secure a good spot, saying it was his duty as a believer to welcome the head of the Church.
The pontiff's visit concludes with a mass prayer and hymns with 80,000 young believers in a Paris suburb. Despite dwindling infant christenings, teenage and adult baptisms are on the rise, with thousands choosing to embrace the faith. Pope Leo XIV's trip marks the first official visit by a head of the Vatican since Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.
Key points
- Pope Leo XIV warns against the threat of artificial intelligence to humanity.
- The pope urges France to remain a "tireless champion of peace" and multilateralism.
- Pope Leo XIV's visit marks the first official trip by a head of the Vatican to France since 2008.
