Pope Leo XIV begins historic 4-day visit to France

Pope Leo XIV began his four-day visit to France on Friday, marking his fifth Apostolic Journey as Pontiff and the first formal papal visit to the country since Pope Benedict XVI in 2008. French bishops have themed the visit "That the world may have life," coinciding with a reported rise in adult baptisms, with over 21,000 adults joining the Church this year. During his trip, the Pope met with French President Emmanuel Macron and is scheduled to deliver 15 speeches addressing themes such as the protection of immigrants, the sick, human dignity in the era of AI, and global peace. In a significant move, the Vatican announced that Pope Leo will hold a private meeting in Lourdes with seven victims of clerical abuse, following a 2021 report that revealed approximately 330,000 children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay leaders in France over seven decades. The Pope is also set to speak at UNESCO headquarters in Paris regarding the need for international AI regulation. Organizers expect up to 1 million people to attend the Pope’s Saturday Mass at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. The visit will conclude on Monday in the border city of Metz, the birthplace of European Union founding father Robert Schuman, where the Pope intends to champion friendship among European peoples.