Plans underway for Pope to visit France at the end of September, say bishops
It will be the first state visit to France by the new Pontiff, with stops in Paris and Lourdes expected
Pope Leo XIV is yet to make a state visit to France
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Pope Leo XIV is expected to make his first official visit to France before the end of the year, French bishops have stated.
The French Bishops’ Conference (Conférence des évêques de France) made the announcement yesterday (May 6), following a series of discussions with the Pope’s team.
"I have had several working sessions with the Pope, including one last week, during which we drafted a preliminary programme,” said Conference president Jean-Marc Aveline.
Under the plans, the visit will take place at the end of September and see the pontiff stop in both Paris and Lourdes, the latter being a major pilgrimage destination.
The visit “was supported by the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron… during his meeting with Leo XIV in Rome on April 10,” Mr Aveline added.
Recent media reports suggest there has been tension between the Papacy and France over a number of issues. These include the replacement of traditional stained glass windows at the reopened Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the inclusion of abortion rights in France’s Constitution, and plans to legalise euthanasia.
Pope recently visited Monaco
If it goes ahead, it will be the first official state visit by a pope to France since Benedict XVI in 2008, who also made stops at Paris and Lourdes.
Pope Francis, predecessor to Leo XIV, made three visits to France – Strasbourg in 2014, Marseille in 2023, and Corsica in December 2024.
None of these were state visits, however, and he also did not attend the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.
However, he met with President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to Marseille, and also performed a mass outside the city’s main football stadium.
Pope Leo XIV has so far not stepped foot in France since being elected to the position on May 8, 2025.
In March 2026 the pope visited Monaco for a day, bordered on all sides by France, but avoided any French soil.
He arrived in the microstate via helicopter directly from Rome, bypassing France entirely.
This allowed him to avoid typical protocol, which requires the Pope to be met by state officials upon arrival, even if only passing through a country.
If Pope Leo XIV were to arrive in France only to immediately leave, it could have been viewed as a snub, or otherwise led to diplomatic tensions.
