Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has described his recent Apostolic Journey to France as a sign of rebirth, pointing to the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral, the faith of young people, care for migrants and vulnerable people, and renewed hopes for Europe as key moments of the visit.
Speaking during the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, the Pope reflected on his journey to France from September 25 to 28, which took him to Paris, Lourdes and Metz. He said the restoration of Notre Dame after the 2019 fire provided a way of understanding the wider message of the journey.
Pope Leo highlighted the rebuilding of the cathedral as an example of cooperation between the Church, the State, public institutions and civil society. He said the work brought together the generosity of benefactors and the skills of professionals and workers.
He presented this cooperation as a model for institutions and people with political, social and economic responsibilities, saying that collaboration for the common good should be based on respect for the dignity of every human person. He said he had also shared this message in meetings with French authorities and during his address at UNESCO.
The Pope then recalled his Vespers celebration at Notre Dame and his meeting with about 80,000 young people during a prayer vigil at the Stade de France. Although the two events took place in very different settings, he said they were united by the Church, which is made up not of buildings but of people who love Jesus Christ.
He described the young people he met as a new generation, marked by freedom of heart and faith. Their singing, silence and attentive participation, he said, were signs of a desire for truth and love and made the vigil a sign of hope.
Pope Leo also pointed to his visit to Maison Bakhita, a welcome centre for migrants, as another example of people working to protect human dignity. He noted as well the growing number of young people and adults receiving Baptism in France in recent years, describing the development as a sign of renewal.
During the journey, the Pope took part in a provincial synodal assembly in Paris and celebrated Mass at Place de la Concorde. He recalled that around 700,000 people gathered for the Mass, with crowds extending along the Champs Élysées towards the Arc de Triomphe.
From Paris, Pope Leo travelled to Lourdes, where he reflected on the Marian shrine and its message of hope for pilgrims, particularly people suffering in body or spirit. He stressed that every human life retains its dignity, including in situations of extreme weakness, and deserves care, accompaniment and relief from suffering through human compassion and the help of science.
The Pope also recalled his meeting with victims of abuse in Lourdes. He said he wanted to listen to victims, accompany them in their search for healing, recognise the suffering caused by abuse and work to prevent further abuse.
At the shrine, Pope Leo participated in the torchlit procession and Rosary. During the General Audience, he encouraged the faithful to pray the Rosary for peace during October.
The final part of his journey took him to Metz, a region deeply affected by the destruction of the Second World War. There, Pope Leo recalled Robert Schuman, one of the founders of the European Union, who spent much of his life in Metz and worked for peace after the war.
The Pope connected the rebuilding of Europe after the Second World War with the restoration of Notre Dame. He said Europe emerged from the destruction of war as a peace project based on democracy, solidarity and fraternity among peoples, with Christian roots contributing to those principles.
He also stressed the importance of interreligious dialogue, recalling his meeting in Metz with representatives of different faiths and the signing of the Metz Appeal for dialogue and peace.
Pope Leo also referred to the beatification in Bologna on September 27 of three priests who were killed by Nazi troops in 1944. He said their sacrifice showed Christians the courage to stand with others, particularly during times of trial.
Concluding his reflection, Pope Leo returned to the motto of his journey, “So that the world may have life”. He expressed hope that the visit would produce abundant and lasting fruit and encouraged Christians not to hide their faith.
The Pope also gave a special greeting to seminarians from the Pontifical Irish College and to pilgrims attending the diaconate ordination of the Pontifical North American College on October 1.