France welcomes Leo XIV at Orly Airport as bells sound nationwide

President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the Pope on his arrival at around 10am, before military honours and introductions to French and Vatican officials. The two then made their way to the Élysée Palace for talks.

The four-day visit, running from Friday to Monday, will take the Pope to Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes and Metz. His programme includes meetings with Macron, French officials, civil-society representatives and diplomats, as well as a visit to UNESCO and meetings with young Catholics. The agenda is expected to include the future of Europe, social issues and the role of technology, including artificial intelligence, although the published programme does not explicitly list AI as a formal agenda item.

Church bells rang across France for seven minutes to mark the Pope’s arrival, including at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and churches in cities such as Lourdes, Marseille, Lyon and Orléans. Leo XIV’s visit is the first official papal state visit to France since Pope Benedict XVI travelled there in September 2008.

On Friday evening, Leo XIV is due to attend a prayer vigil with young people aged between 17 and 35 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. Organisers expect around 80,000 participants. His itinerary will then continue with a mass in Paris, followed by visits to Lourdes and Metz, where he is scheduled to address the theme “At the roots of Europe for peace and unity”.