The Pope Leo XIV arrives in France on Friday, September 25 with a clear purpose: to embody the motto “That the world may have life.” The phrase, described by Vatican News as a “call to hope and communion, encouraging people to overcome divisions in order to share peace, reconciliation, and fraternity,” frames every stop of the apostolic journey.
Day one – diplomatic reception and cultural outreach in Paris
At 10:00 a.m. CET, the pontiff lands at Paris Orly and is greeted in a formal welcome ceremony before heading to the Élysée Palace. There, he meets President Emmanuel Macron and subsequently sits down with representatives of civil society, diplomatic corps and French authorities. The program continues at 15:00 with a visit to the headquarters of UNESCO. The pope’s address is expected to touch on the protection of youth in the age of new technologies and artificial intelligence, a theme especially poignant after the agency suffered budget cuts following the United States’ 2025 withdrawal.
Evening worship takes place at the newly restored Notre-Damе Cathedral. At 17:15, the pope leads the traditional Vespers, delivering a homily to a gathering of roughly 2,000 bishops, priests, deacons and seminarians. The night culminates with a prayer vigil for young people at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, where more than 80,000 youths are expected to join. Security for the entire day is massive: around 14,000 police, gendarmes and military personnel plus 2,500 firefighters are on duty, and over twenty metro and train stations are temporarily closed.
Day two – social solidarity and mass at Place de la Concorde
Saturday, September 26, begins with a visit to the Maison Bakhita Centre in the Montmartre district. Established in 2021, the centre follows Pope Francis’ 2017 directive to “welcome, protect, promote and integrate” migrants as a “duty of justice, civilisation and solidarity.” The pontiff then meets catechumens, newly baptized members and participants of the provincial synodal assembly at the Institut Catholique de Paris. At 15:00, he presides over an open-air Mass on the Place de la Concorde. More than half a million people have registered, with crowds expected to spill onto the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
Later that evening, the pope departs for Lourdes. After a short flight, he arrives at Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées International Airport and proceeds directly to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. At 19:40, he prays at the Grotto of the Apparitions at Massabielle, joining pilgrims in a silent candle-lit vigil.
Days three and four – pastoral care in Lourdes and a European-focused finale in Metz
Sunday, September 27, opens with a meeting of the French Episcopal Conference at the Saint-Bernadette auditorium of the Lourdes shrine. At 11:00, the pope celebrates Mass on the shrine’s meadow, emphasizing the theme of renewal. He then visits Acceuil Notre-Dame a residential healthcare facility for pilgrims, before holding a private audience with contemplative Carmelite sisters at the local monastery. The day ends with a torch-lit Rosary procession, an event that draws the entire town into a shared moment of prayer.
During his stay in Lourdes, the pontiff also meets seven survivors of sexual abuse by French clergy, a poignant reminder of the Church’s ongoing effort to confront past wrongs. In 2021, an inquiry revealed that roughly 330,000 minors had suffered abuse in France over seven decades, a scandal that has also implicated figures such as Abbé Pierre and the Notre-Dame de Bétharram boarding school.
Monday, September 28, marks the final leg of the journey. After a brief departure from Lourdes, the pope flies to Metz where he participates in an inter-religious dialogue at the “Robert Schuman” Conference Centre. The meeting, titled “To the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity,” honors the legacy of Robert Schuman, a founding father of European integration. At 16:00, the pope celebrates Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Stephen, addressing roughly 12,000 faithful gathered in and around the historic building. The itinerary concludes with a farewell ceremony at Metz-Nancy-Lorraine International Airport, after which the pontiff returns to Rome.
Throughout the four-day pilgrimage, the emphasis on “that the world may have life” is reinforced by a blend of diplomatic outreach, public worship and direct engagement with vulnerable communities. The extensive security presence, the massive public registrations, and the carefully coordinated liturgical moments all illustrate the significance of this apostolic journey for both the French nation and the global Catholic community.
