Macron arrives in Rome ahead of first audience with Pope Leo XIV

French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Rome ahead of his first audience with Pope Leo XIV, scheduled to take place on Friday morning at the Vatican.

According to France24, Macron’s visit began on Thursday evening with a stop at the Catholic Community of Sant’Egidio Community in the Trastevere neighbourhood of Rome — an organisation widely regarded as an informal diplomatic channel of the Holy See and an active player in humanitarian initiatives.

The meeting at the Vatican in Vatican City will be the first in-person discussion between the French leader and the pontiff, who was born in Chicago. The Élysée Palace emphasised that the visit is “republican and secular” in nature.

No bilateral meeting is planned with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during Macron’s stay, as the trip is focused exclusively on Vatican engagements.

Talks are expected to cover a broad international agenda, including artificial intelligence, climate change, humanitarian issues, and broader geopolitical developments. Analysts suggest the meeting could extend beyond protocol diplomacy, reflecting the growing role of the Vatican in global political dialogue amid ongoing conflicts and international instability.