Pope Leo XIV will visit France on an official state visit from September 25-28, marking the first official visit by a head of the Vatican to the country in 18 years. During the trip, the pontiff will visit Paris and the pilgrimage center of Lourdes. This was reported by Politico, according to UNN.
Details
The Vatican stated that the visit will take place in response to invitations from French President Emmanuel Macron, the country’s church authorities, and the Director-General of UNESCO.
As part of the trip, Pope Leo XIV will also visit the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
Macron welcomed the upcoming visit of the pontiff
French President Emmanuel Macron reacted to the Vatican’s announcement with a post on social media.
“We are delighted that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has confirmed his visit to France. This visit next September will be an honor for our country, a joy for Catholics, and a great moment of hope for everyone,”
– Macron stated.
In April, the French president personally visited the Vatican, where he re-extended the invitation to the pontiff from the president of the Bishops’ Conference of France, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline.
Pope Leo XIV continues a series of European visits
Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline called the upcoming trip a “great joy” and a “great responsibility.”
Rubio met with Pope Leo amid strained US-Vatican relations07.05.26, 15:53 • 3821 view
Pope Leo XIV became the first American to lead the Catholic Church. In recent weeks, he has been in the spotlight following criticism from US President Donald Trump over the pontiff’s anti-war stance regarding the Iranian crisis.
In addition to France, the pontiff also plans to visit Spain in June. During the visit, he is scheduled to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, as well as visit Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands.