#EU #France – Pope Leo XIV wrapped up a four-day apostolic journey to France on Sept. 28, 2026, after attracting hundreds of thousands of people in a largely secular nation and delivering pointed messages on peace, human dignity, and Europe’s Christian heritage. It was the first official papal state visit to France in 18 years.
The Chicago-born pontiff, elected in May 2025 as the first American pope, arrived at Paris-Orly Airport on September 25 and was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron. Church bells rang across the country as Leo began a tightly scheduled trip that took him from the French capital to the Marian shrine of Lourdes and the eastern city of Metz.
In his first public remarks at the Élysée Palace, Leo urged French leaders to protect every human life, warning against trends that treat science and technology as profit-driven enterprises promoting assisted dying, abortion, surrogacy, and genetic manipulation. He recalled that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed in Paris and called on France to remain a champion of peace and multilateralism.
That evening he became the first pope to enter Notre-Dame Cathedral since the devastating 2019 fire, leading vespers in the restored landmark. He later joined about 80,000 young people for a prayer vigil at the Stade de France.
On September 26, Leo celebrated an outdoor Mass at Place de la Concorde that drew an estimated 700,000 to 800,000 people stretching along the Champs-Élysées. Organizers and observers expressed surprise at the turnout in a country where regular Mass attendance is low. He also visited a center for migrants and met with participants in the French Church’s synodal process.
The following day in Lourdes, Leo celebrated Mass for more than 150,000 pilgrims, met privately with seven survivors of clergy sexual abuse, and addressed French bishops. Speaking to the sick and those who care for them, he rejected assisted dying as “false compassion” and insisted that no law should undermine human dignity. He led a candlelit rosary procession at the grotto.
Leo closed the visit in Metz on September 28 with an interreligious gathering and a speech titled “To the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity” at the Robert Schuman Conference Center. Honoring the postwar statesman regarded as a founder of European integration, he called on Europe to draw on its Christian traditions of dialogue to counter the “desire for domination” behind current wars and to reject “lies and deceit” in international relations. Macron joined him on stage. Leo then celebrated Mass at Metz Cathedral.
Throughout the trip Leo delivered most of his addresses in French. After returning to Rome he described the journey as a “sign of rebirth,” pointing to Notre-Dame’s reconstruction as a symbol. The visit highlighted both the Church’s historic roots in Europe and its effort to address contemporary issues including artificial intelligence, migration, and the lingering effects of the abuse crisis in France.
Many described the large crowds in Paris and Saint-Denis as promise of Christian revival in France. In recent years, the number of persons being received into the Church have increased dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among young people. This trend is hoped to resolve the decreasing trend of percentage of Christians in a country that had experienced changing demographics, including more Muslims and irreligious people.
Cover Image: Almost a million people were estimated to have attended the Champs-Elysee to see Pope Leo XIV.
