Saturday, September 25, 2026 - Pope Leo XIV has arrived in France for a four-day apostolic visit that is drawing major public attention across Paris, Lourdes and Metz.
The pontiff landed at Paris Orly Airport on Friday, September 25, where he was welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron before beginning a packed schedule of meetings and public events.
His first day included talks at the Élysée Palace, a visit to UNESCO, prayers at Notre-Dame Cathedral and a large prayer vigil with young people at the Stade de France.
The visit is moving quickly into its biggest public events. On Saturday, Pope Leo is scheduled to celebrate Mass at Place de la Concorde before travelling to Lourdes, where he will pray at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes and meet members of the Catholic community.
French authorities expect around 600,000 people for the Paris Mass and about 150,000 for the Lourdes Mass, with extensive security measures in place throughout the journey.
Beyond the religious gatherings, the trip has an international dimension, with discussions touching on artificial intelligence, climate change, peace, Ukraine, the Middle East and cooperation with Africa.
The final stage will take Pope Leo to Metz on Monday, where he is scheduled to address peace and European unity before returning to Rome. With major crowds expected and a tightly packed programme, attention now turns to the pope's remaining engagements as his four-day visit continues.
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