The Catholic Church of France will welcome Pope Leo XIV from September 25 to 28 2026.

The Catholic Church of France will welcome Pope Leo XIV from September 25 to 28 2026.

The Pope will address young people at the Stade de France, thus following in the footsteps of his predecessor John Paul II in 1980.

The Pope will address young people at the Stade de France, thus following in the footsteps of his predecessor John Paul II in 1980.

This trip will provide the Pope with an opportunity to speak on artificial intelligence, and pay tribute to social Catholicism and the legacy of Robert Schuman, a leading figure in European and Christian democracy.

This trip will provide the Pope with an opportunity to speak on artificial intelligence, and pay tribute to social Catholicism and the legacy of Robert Schuman, a leading figure in European and Christian democracy.

Pope Leo XIV is due to visit France from September 25 to 28. The planned tour itinerary for the papal visit – which has been the subject of prior consultation – and the main topics expected to be discussed are significant from both a political and a religious standpoint.

This is an “apostolic journey”, not a “state visit”: it is first and foremost as the head of the Catholic Church, the successor to the Prince of the Apostles, that the Pope is coming to France to meet with members of the Catholic community. Admittedly, he is also a head of state – of Vatican City – and, as such, he will be received by French president Emmanuel Macron and several other political leaders : his visit therefore also has an official dimension.

Leo XIV’s interest in France may stem from his personal history, as his paternal grandmother was from Le Havre and his father took part in the landings in Normandy and Provence. Like all popes up to Benedict XVI, and unlike his predecessor Francis, he speaks French, one of the Vatican’s official languages, and had visited France even before his pontificate.

But broader considerations must also be taken into account. The timing is favourable, with a papal visit taking place well in advance of the campaign for the presidential........

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