Pope Leo XIV arrived in France on Friday for a four-day visit focused on artificial intelligence, the future of Europe, peace and the Catholic Church's response to its abuse crisis.
The visit, which runs from September 25 to 28, is the first official papal visit to mainland France in nearly two decades. Pope Leo will travel to Paris, Lourdes and Metz during the trip.
Leo began his visit in Paris, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace before addressing French officials, civil society and diplomats.
He then travelled to the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), where he warned about the risks posed by artificial intelligence urging stronger international cooperation in its development.
The pope has previously called for international rules governing AI, arguing that technological development should remain focused on human dignity and the common good.
Later on Friday, Leo is due to celebrate Vespers with French bishops, priests and other religious figures at Notre-Dame Cathedral.
The visit is particularly symbolic as it marks the first papal visit to the restored cathedral since the 2019 fire that severely damaged the Gothic landmark.
He will then attend a prayer vigil with young people at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. Around 80,000 young people are expected to take part in the event.
The trip also comes as the Catholic Church continues to deal with the consequences of abuse scandals in France.
A 2021 investigation estimated that around 330,000 children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay members of the Church in France over seven decades. Leo is due to meet abuse survivors during his visit to Lourdes on Sunday.
The meeting is part of the pope's efforts to address the damage caused by the scandals and the questions of accountability that continue to face the Church.
After Paris, Leo will travel to Lourdes, one of the world's best-known Catholic pilgrimage sites, where he will hold Mass and meet French bishops as well as members of the sick community.
The final stage of the visit will take him to Metz on Monday. There, he is scheduled to take part in an interreligious meeting and an event titled “To the roots of Europe for peace and unity”, highlighting the pope's focus on peace and the future of Europe.
Reuters reported ahead of the trip that about 600,000 people had registered for Leo's outdoor Mass in Paris on Saturday, highlighting the scale of the visit.
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