Pope Leo XIV is due in France for a four-day visit to Paris, Lourdes and Metz, promoting human dignity, peace and reflection on artificial intelligence. The trip comes as the Catholic Church has lost influence in French ethical debates.
France enshrined abortion rights in its Constitution in 2024, and lawmakers recently gave final approval to a bill allowing adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication. The Catholic hierarchy opposed the measures; Vatican editorial director Andrea Tornielli said Leo was not coming to condemn anyone or enter France’s political debate, but to prompt reflection on what it means to be human.
Leo is scheduled to meet President Emmanuel Macron, speak at UNESCO headquarters and celebrate vespers at Notre-Dame on Friday, followed by a youth vigil at the Paris stadium; a Mass is planned for Place de la Concorde on Saturday. Upward of a million people are expected to turn out to see him. Paris police said Friday’s security would resemble the 2024 Olympics, with 14,000 police officers, gendarmes and military personnel, and 2,500 firefighters planned.
