Pope Leo XIV's four-day France itinerary includes Paris, Lourdes, Metz

Pope Leo XIV will make a four-day Apostolic Journey to France from September 25-28, visiting Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes and Metz, the Vatican announced on August 7 as it released the official programme for the trip.

The visit will be Pope Leo's fifth Apostolic Journey and the first official papal state visit to France since Pope Benedict XVI travelled there in September 2008. While Pope Francis visited Strasbourg in 2014, Marseille in 2023 and Ajaccio, Corsica, in 2024, those trips were not official state visits.

The Pope will depart Rome on the morning of September 25 and arrive in Paris, where he is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace following a welcome ceremony. He will also address political leaders, civil society representatives and the diplomatic corps before delivering a speech at UNESCO headquarters.

The first day will conclude with Vespers at Notre-Dame Cathedral and a prayer vigil with young people at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

On September 26, Pope Leo will visit the Maison Bakhita Centre, which supports migrants and people living in exile, before meeting members of the provincial synodal assembly, catechumens and the newly baptised at the Institut Catholique de Paris. He will celebrate Mass at Place de la Concorde before flying to Lourdes, where he will pray at the Grotto of the Apparitions at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.

The following day in Lourdes includes meetings with bishops of the French Episcopal Conference, Mass at the shrine, a visit with sick pilgrims and staff at the Accueil Notre Dame healthcare facility, a private meeting with Carmelite sisters and participation in the traditional torchlight Rosary procession.

On September 28, the Pope will travel to Metz for an interreligious gathering and the "To the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity" meeting at the Robert Schuman Conference Centre. He will conclude the visit by celebrating Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Stephen before returning to Rome.

The Vatican also announced that "during his upcoming apostolic journey to France, Pope Leo XIV will meet privately with several survivors of abuse in the Church."

"The survivors themselves will be involved in preparing this meeting," the Holy See Press Office said, adding that further details would be released at a later stage.

The Archdiocese of Paris plans to recruit 10,000 volunteers to help organise the papal visit, while the Church in France has launched a dedicated website for volunteer registration and donations.

By Aghakazim Guliyev