Pope Leo XIV’s Visit to France This Weekend

Pope Leo XIV is heading to France this weekend, making it the first formal visit by a leader of the Catholic Church to the country in almost 20 years.

His trip runs from Friday, September 25, to Monday, September 28. During this three-day journey, the Pope plans to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, engage with survivors of abuse, visit the UNESCO headquarters, and lead a large open-air mass at the Champs-Élysées, where over 600,000 attendees have already registered. This is just one of several official events outlined by the Vatican.

The Vatican News reported that the main themes of the Pope’s visit will revolve around “faith, culture, Europe.”

Previously, Pope Francis, his predecessor, visited various locations in France, including Strasbourg and Marseille, but did not make an official state visit. The last official visit to France was conducted by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

Interestingly, this visit carries personal significance for Pope Leo XIV, as he has roots in French Catholicism, being described as somewhat of a homecoming for him. He was born in the U.S. but has grandparents from Normandy who emigrated to America. In fact, he’s reportedly 40 percent French, according to details from the genealogy platform Geneanet.

Christopher White, an associate director at Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought, pointed out that the Pope’s French heritage is evident on both sides of his family. His French surname originates from his great-grandmother in Normandy, while his maternal line has connections to French Canada and the French Caribbean.

Also noteworthy is the fact that Pope Leo’s father participated in the D-Day landings during WWII, serving in the American Navy and achieving the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

While in France, the Pope will also visit the Sanctuary of Lourdes, a major pilgrimage site, where he is expected to preside over a Sunday mass with a turnout anticipated to be around 150,000 faithful. This visit is believed to give a boost to Lourdes’ economy as many visitors flock to the area. In addition, his presence is expected to enhance tourism across France, echoing a recent surge following Céline Dion’s own return to the country.

Later this year, Pope Leo is also scheduled for a “homecoming” visit to Latin America, with stops planned in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. He is particularly fond of Peru, having served there for nearly four decades prior to his election as Pope.

When he was elected as the head of the Catholic Church in 2025, the Peruvian faithful celebrated joyously, embracing him as one of their own.