Pope Leo XIV paid an official four-day visit to France from 25 to 28 September 2026. This was the first official visit to France by the Vatican, 18 years later, and the first time since the Benedict XVI Act of September 2008, that the Pope had set foot in the traditional Catholic power known as the “chief of the Church”. During the visit, hundreds of thousands of people from all over France took to the streets to participate in mass and prayer activities, and there was a surge of crowds around Paris to Concubine Square. The Pope, speaking on the topic of European division, sexual abuse scandals, euthanasia legislation and the potential threat to human dignity from artificial intelligence, tried to convey the message of reconciliation and peace to a Europe that was becoming more secular and had continued to have a low level of church attendance.
Pope Leo XIV landed at the Paris Orie airport on 25 September at around 10 a.m. and the President of France, Emmanuel M. Marlon, and Mrs. Bridget met at the airport. He then travelled to the Palace of Alice, where he met with French government officials, diplomatic agents and members of civil society, and addressed UNESCO headquarters that afternoon. It is noteworthy that UNESCO has faced serious budget shortfalls in recent years, following the signing of a presidential memorandum on 7 January by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, announcing the withdrawal of 31 United Nations affiliates, which has had a substantial impact on its financial structure. That evening, the Pope held evening prayers at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, followed by prayers with young people at the French National Stadium in St. Danny, where mass was planned for some 80,000 young people.
On 26 September, the Pope visited the Maison Bakhita Centre, which supports exiles, followed by a visit to the Catholic Academy in Paris. Later that day, the Pope celebrated open mass in the Conciliation Square and on the adjacent Triumph Boulevard, where, according to the Vatican estimates, more than 600,000 participants were registered on the ground, a figure much larger than that of believers who had participated in the Pope's last visit to the law in 2008. On 27 September, the Pope travelled to Lourdes for an open mass of some 150,000 people and met with seven victims of sexual abuse by French clerics. According to a survey conducted in 2021, over the past 70 years some 330,000 people have been sexually abused by clergy while under age. On 28 September, the last day of the visit, the Pope travelled to Mess, close to the German border, where he participated in a conference on the theme “Returning to the root of Europe, peace and solidarity”, and celebrated mass in St. Stephen's Cathedral. Throughout the course, most of the Pope ' s speeches and reflections were conducted in French, showing a relatively relaxed and natural state.
One of the central messages of the visit was the call for Europe to choose reconciliation over division. The Pope has stressed on many occasions that Europe should build on its Christian roots and re-establish unity in the current context of deepening political and social rifts. During his visit, the representative of the French Embassy stated that the Pope ' s trip was intended to send a message of peace to a hesitant Europe. During the Pope's visit, French President Marlon also referred to the roots of Europe's Jewish-Christian tradition as an essential part of European identity. The Pope's speech in Mes is particularly directed at the historical roots of European integration, which is closely linked to Robert Schumann, who is considered to be one of the founders of the European Union today. The Pope's speech at Mes was clearly directed at “Returning to the Roots of Europe for Peace and Solidarity” and sought to link the moral vision of Catholicism to the historical tradition of European political integration.
France has adopted the law on euthanasia on this occasion, to which the Pope has expressly objected. In Lourdes, the Pope referred to euthanasia legislation as “scourge” and took a clear stand in mass, calling it morally immoral. As an important place for Christian pilgrimages around the world, where patients and vulnerable groups have long sought comfort, the Pope has objected to euthanasia legislation in order to emphasize that the dignity of life should not be left to convenience or pain. The Vatican stated that the Pope had taken the stand of protecting the dignity of life, especially the lives of patients and vulnerable groups, and opposed the possible landslide effect of legitimizing euthanasia. For French Catholics and those concerned with the issue of bioethics, this statement means that the Church will continue to exert influence through pastoralism and public discourse after legislation has been enacted, and that the followers and practitioners concerned will need to look at how the follow-up Church can adapt its guidance in the areas of medical, nursing and terminal care when French law enters into force.
The Pope raised the issue of artificial intelligence several times during his visit. During his talks in Paris with Marlon, he was expected to discuss “new dangers” posed by artificial intelligence, in particular potential threats to security and international peace. The Pope warned that a “mechanical paradise” could weaken human dignity and humanity, and he used that expression on many occasions to emphasize that technological development should not be separated from human values and morality. For industry practitioners, policymakers and the public interested in technological ethics who rely on artificial intelligence, the Pope ' s warning is not a mere technical criticism, but rather a possible impact on human ownership at the decision-making, automation and social control levels of artificial intelligence. The Pope called for the preservation of the centrality of the human being in the development of artificial intelligence, a position that would affect the consideration of the boundaries of technology application by Catholic institutions, the educational system and the groups involved in the dialogue on artificial intelligence governance.
The Pope met seven victims of sexual abuse in Lourdes, a move that was clearly symbolic and meaningful. The 2021 survey showed that some 330,000 minors had been sexually abused by the French Catholic Church for 70 years, a figure that made the issue of church trust an inescapable reality for the French Catholic community. The Pope's trip included the issue of sexual abuse in the agenda, with a view to recognizing victims, expressing remorse and conveying to the French Catholic community the message that the Church was facing that historical problem. For French Catholics, church staff and those concerned with church governance and victim support mechanisms, the Pope ' s meetings and speeches meant that accountability and victim care would continue to be promoted at the church level, but specific institutional reforms, compensation arrangements and prevention mechanisms would still depend on the follow-up of the French Catholic Bishops ' Order and related judicial proceedings. Believers and relevant practitioners should focus on how within the Church the commitments of the visit can be translated into concrete prevention and support measures.
The visit attracted significant public participation. Some 800,000 people are waiting along the route from Paris to Concubine Square, with some holding the Holy See or the French flag and others climbing trees or standing on the shoulders of others to watch the Pope's Ark. The open mass in Lourdes was attended by some 150,000 people, a figure which, according to the Vatican estimates, is larger than the number of believers at the time of the Pope ' s visit in 2008. However, the secularization of French society remains a clear context: France is often referred to as the “predominant daughter of the church”, but the attendance rate of the church has been declining for a long time, with an estimated 5 to 8 per cent of the population attending worship every week. The visit showed some dynamism in the scale of population participation, but it did not amount to a structural increase in church attendance. For French Catholics, church organizations and observers concerned with changes in religious sociology, the visit provided a window of view of popular participation and the public influence of the Church, but indicators such as attendance at subsequent worship, involvement in church activities and the continuity of faith among young groups are still to be seen for the long-term revival of Catholicism in France.
The visit ended on 28 September in Mes and the Pope returned to the Vatican. For French Catholics and groups concerned with the issues of bioethics, artificial intelligence governance and church accountability, the next focus is on the details of the implementation of the French euthanasia law and on how the Church can provide alternative pastoral support in the field of medical and terminal care; whether the specific dialogue on artificial intelligence security and international peace in the Pope's talks with Marlon will be translated into public positions or cooperative initiatives; how the French Catholic Bishops' Mission will respond to the problems of sexual abuse revealed by the 2021 survey, in particular the follow-up arrangements for victim support, preventive mechanisms and transparent accountability; and whether the public participation boom generated by the visit will translate into more sustained church activity into participation in faith with young groups. For the general public, the central message of the visit was the Pope ' s concern about the division of Europe, his insistence on the dignity of life and his warning that technological development could weaken the human body, which would continue to emerge in public discussions between France and Europe. For those who wish to learn about the follow-up, attention should be paid to the detailed follow-up announcements and policies of the French Catholic Bishops ' Church, the Vatican authorities and the French Government regarding euthanasia, artificial intelligence governance and church accountability.