Pope begins visit to France

Pope Leo XIV arrived in France on his first apostolic visit. The pontiff's plane landed at Orly Airport around 10 a.m. Paris time. In honor of the arrival at this moment all the bells of the capital churches rang.

On the runway, the Pope was met by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. After the ceremony, Leo XIV went to the Elysee Palace, where he met with the President, representatives of the French society and the diplomatic corps. In the afternoon, the pope will visit UNESCO headquarters to deliver a speech. He will then head to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. This will be the first visit to the cathedral restored after the fire of 2019 by the acting pope. The pontiff must travel to Paris to meet the faithful. The route will run from the church of Notre Dame de Cham to the square in front of Notre Dame Cathedral.

The main event of the first day will be an evening meeting with young people at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. It is expected about 80 thousand people aged 17 to 35 years. The meeting will begin in the evening with a music program, after which Leo XIV will appear at the stadium. Then there will be a prayer.

The next day, Leo XIV will visit the Migrant Aid Center, the Catholic Institute of Paris, and then celebrate Mass at Place de la Concorde and the Champs Elysees. According to the organizers, up to 600 thousand people are waiting for worship. Paris will be the first stop on Leo XIV's four-day trip to France. After the capital on the evening of 26 September, the pontiff will go to Lourdes, and then to Metz.

Read more about the preparation of the visit of Leo XIV to France – in the material “The Pope of Rome is waiting as a rock star”.

Alexey Tarkhanov, Paris