Pope Leo XIV Arrives in France for First Visit in 18 Years

The Pope has arrived in France on an official visit for the first time in 18 years

From 25 to 28 September 2026, Pope Leo XIV is on a four-day official visit to France. This is the first state visit by the head of the Catholic Church to the country in the last 18 years. During the trip, the pontiff is visiting Paris, Lourdes and Metz.

Photo: Reuters. French President Emmanuel Macron and Pope Leo XIV

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According to Reuters, the visit began in Paris with a meeting at Orly Airport with President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. Also scheduled in the capital are talks at the Élysée Palace, an address at UNESCO headquarters and a prayer service at the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Regulation of artificial intelligence

One of the key themes of the visit was the international regulation of artificial intelligence. At UNESCO headquarters, Pope Leo called for the creation of an international legal framework to regulate AI, highlighting the emergence of new threats to security and stability. The visit to UNESCO comes against the backdrop of a budget shortfall at the organisation caused by the US’s withdrawal from it in 2025.

On board the plane en route to Paris, the pontiff also spoke out in defence of press freedom, commenting on the restrictions imposed on journalists by Donald Trump’s administration.

Investigation into abuses by the clergy

Particular attention has been paid to the issue of crimes committed by the clergy. The trip comes five years after the publication of a report by the independent commission CIASE, which found that between 1950 and 2020, around 330,000 children in France were subjected to sexual abuse by Catholic clergy and laypeople.

Although the French Bishops’ Conference has previously approved compensation payments and new safety regulations, representatives of the victims continue to demand that the Vatican hold the Church’s senior leadership personally accountable. On Sunday in Lourdes, the Pope will hold a private meeting with seven victims of abuse by clergy. French church leaders hope that this step will help restore the Catholic Church’s authority.

Legislation and religious statistics in France

The visit is taking place against a backdrop of disagreements between the Vatican and France’s legislative policy, where the right to abortion was enshrined in the constitution in 2024, and euthanasia for terminally ill adults was legalised in 2026.

At the same time, the country is seeing a decline in religious observance: according to the INSEE, only 25 per cent of French residents aged between 18 and 49 identify as Catholic (compared with 43 per cent in 2016), and only 8 per cent of them regularly attend church services.

Pope Leo XIV’s visit to France will conclude on Sunday in Metz, where he will deliver a speech on the theme ‘The Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity’.

This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.

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