Paris: Pope Leo XIV has begun a four day Apostolic Journey to France, with artificial intelligence, human dignity, the Catholic Church's abuse crisis and the future of Europe among the major issues surrounding his visit.
The visit runs from September 25 to 28 and takes the Pope to Paris, Lourdes and Metz. It is the first official papal visit to France since Pope Benedict XVI travelled to the country in 2008.
Pope Leo is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on Friday before meeting French authorities, civil society representatives and members of the diplomatic corps.
One of the main events of the first day is the Pope's visit to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The meeting will focus on artificial intelligence, information integrity, education and artistic creation in an age of rapid technological change.
Leo has repeatedly called for greater international attention to the development of artificial intelligence and its effects on human beings. His visit to UNESCO is also significant because it is the first papal visit to the organisation since Pope John Paul II visited it in 1980.
Later on Friday, Leo will celebrate Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women and seminarians at Notre Dame Cathedral.
It will be the first visit by a pope to the restored cathedral since the devastating fire of 2019. The cathedral underwent extensive restoration after the fire before reopening to the public in December 2024.
The Pope will later travel to Saint Denis for a prayer vigil with young people at the Stade de France.
On Saturday, Leo will visit the Maison Bakhita Centre for Social Support and Integration in Paris. He will also meet members of the provincial synodal assembly, catechumens and newly baptised Catholics before celebrating Mass at the Place de la Concorde at 3 p.m.
About 600,000 people have registered to attend the outdoor Mass. The figure represents registrations and should not be treated as the final attendance.
After the Mass, the Pope will travel to Lourdes in southwestern France. He is scheduled to pray at the Grotto of the Apparitions at Massabielle on Saturday evening.
Lourdes will also be the setting for one of the most closely watched parts of the visit. On Sunday, Leo is scheduled to meet privately with seven survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.
The meeting comes after a major French investigation published in 2021 estimated that about 330,000 children had been sexually abused by Catholic clergy and other Church personnel over seven decades.
French bishops have since introduced compensation and safeguarding measures, while survivor groups continue to call for greater accountability.
The Pope will also celebrate Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes and meet staff and sick people at Accueil Notre Dame. He will later meet contemplative religious sisters before leading the Rosary and torchlight procession.
The visit will conclude in Metz on Monday. The northeastern French city is associated with Robert Schuman, one of the founding figures of European integration.
In Metz, the Pope will attend an interreligious meeting before taking part in an event titled "To the roots of Europe for peace and unity". He is expected to address peace and European unity.
The visit comes as France continues to debate questions surrounding human life and end of life care. France has constitutional protection for abortion and recently enacted legislation allowing assisted dying for certain adults with incurable illnesses.
The Vatican has given the journey the theme "That the world may have life". Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, has said the theme highlights the value of human life and the need for life to be welcomed, loved and cared for.
The Pope's programme also includes a visit to a centre supporting social integration and meetings with young people, sick people and Church communities. These activities form part of the broader pastoral dimension of his journey.
French authorities have prepared extensive security arrangements for the visit, particularly in Paris, where large crowds are expected around the Pope's public events.
Pope Leo is scheduled to celebrate Mass at Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Metz on Monday before returning to Rome, bringing his four day Apostolic Journey to France to an end.