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Pope Leo XIV arrived in France on Friday for a four-day visit. The trip, running from Sept. 25 to 28, is the first official visit by a pope to mainland France in the past two decades.
During the visit, the pope will travel to Paris, Lourdes and Metz. In Paris, he met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace and later addressed French officials, civil society representatives and diplomats.
Warning over artificial intelligence
Leo XIV later visited the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (“UNESCO”). He warned about the risks posed by artificial intelligence and called for stronger international cooperation in developing the technology.
The pope has previously supported the development of international rules governing artificial intelligence and said technological progress must serve human dignity and the common good.
Notre-Dame Cathedral and meeting with young people
On Friday, Leo XIV was due to attend an evening service at Notre-Dame Cathedral with French bishops, priests and other religious figures. It will be the pope’s first visit to the Gothic cathedral since it was restored following the 2019 fire.
He will later attend a prayer gathering for young people at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis. About 80,000 young people are expected to take part.
Abuse scandal remains on the agenda
The visit comes as the Catholic Church in France continues to deal with the consequences of abuse scandals. A 2021 investigation estimated that about 330,000 children had been abused by Catholic clergy and other members of the church in France over seven decades.
The pope is scheduled to meet abuse survivors in Lourdes on Sunday. The meeting is part of Leo XIV’s efforts to address the damage caused by the scandals and the accountability issues facing the church.
After his visit to Paris, the pope will travel to Lourdes, one of the world’s best-known Catholic pilgrimage sites. There, he will celebrate Mass and meet French bishops and representatives of the sick community.
The final stage of the visit will take place in Metz on Monday. Leo XIV is expected to attend an interfaith meeting and an event titled “Europe’s roots for peace and unity.” The events reflect the pope’s focus on peace and Europe’s future.
According to information released by Reuters before the visit, about 600,000 people had registered for an open-air Mass in Paris on Saturday.
