Pope Leo XIV began a four-day visit to France on Friday, aiming to highlight his appeals for peace during a time of conflict and encourage reflection as advancements in artificial intelligence challenge the understanding of humanity, reports BritPanorama.
Leo is engaging in intensive activities across Paris, the Catholic shrine at Lourdes, and the northeastern city of Metz.
Upon landing at Paris’ Orly airport, church bells tolled, and it is expected that up to a million people will attend various events during his visit, marking the first papal trip to France in 18 years.
At the airport, Leo was welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron, with plans for a meeting at the Élysée Palace. During the trip’s busiest day, he is scheduled to address an audience at UNESCO headquarters, celebrate vespers at the recently reopened Notre-Dame cathedral, and preside over a youth vigil at a stadium in Paris on Friday night.
A capstone visit as Macron’s term ends
For Macron, who is unable to seek a third term in the upcoming May elections, hosting the American pope symbolizes a significant conclusion to his presidency, as Pope Francis did not conduct a formal state visit to France during his 12-year pontificate.
“For a president of the republic like Macron, who is at the end of his mandate, it can be important to be alongside the pope to capture a part of his popularity. It’s not new,” noted Charles Mercier, director of history and sociology of Catholicism studies at Paris EPHE university.
With seven months left in his term, Macron’s approval ratings are almost at record lows, driven by public discontent over rising living costs, mounting debt, and declining public services. The meeting with Leo will likely address global challenges, including climate change and artificial intelligence, alongside European and international issues, along with discussions on end-of-life care and child protection.
Leo to appeal to loftier questions about life
During his visit, Leo intends to underscore Europe’s Christian heritage and advocate for the intrinsic value and dignity of human life in a country where abortion rights were codified in the Constitution in 2024, and recent legislation permits adults with terminal illnesses to access lethal medication.
The French Catholic hierarchy has voiced strong opposition to these measures, adhering to the principle that life must be protected from conception to natural death. However, the influence of the hierarchy has diminished amid ongoing secularization in Western Europe and a credibility crisis related to clergy sexual abuse scandals.
France maintains a distinct approach to secularism, known as laïcité, which guarantees freedom of belief and the practice of religion, provided it does not disrupt public order. Historical laws, such as the 1905 legislation, were crafted to minimize the state’s influence by the Catholic Church.
Leo, whose paternal heritage includes French ancestry, is not anticipated to admonish French policies on abortion and end-of-life decisions. Instead, he is likely to urge discussions regarding profound questions about human existence, according to Andrea Tornielli, the Vatican’s editorial director.
“The pope is not landing in the City of Light to condemn anyone, nor to barge into the French political debate, which is as polarized as that of every other European country,” Tornielli elaborated in Vatican News. “He comes as a shepherd to meet a people, their history, and their culture.”
High security reminiscent of Olympics
Extensive security measures comparable to those seen during the Olympics are being implemented, including the deployment of mounted police, bomb disposal experts, and counter-terrorism strategies, according to Paris police prefecture spokesperson Hélène Denéchère.
In Paris, approximately 14,000 police officers, gendarmes, and military personnel, along with 2,500 firefighters, are on duty. The security presence will be significant during Mass at the central Place de la Concorde on Saturday.
“We are implementing a system similar to what was in place during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will involve a protective perimeter, with additional security measures in place,” Denéchère added.
