Pope Leo XIV Announces Official Apostolic Journey to France

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to undertake an official apostolic journey to France from September 25 to 28, 2026, according to an announcement from Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni, as reported by Vatican News. The visit marks the first time a pope has traveled to France on an official papal state visit since Pope Benedict XVI journeyed to Paris and Lourdes in 2008.

Pope Leo XIV Announces Official Apostolic Journey to France

The four-day itinerary includes stops in Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes, and the northeastern border city of Metz, according to Vatican News. This international voyage is the fifth of its kind since the beginning of the pontificate, making France the ninth country visited by Pope Leo XIV, or the tenth if counting a pastoral visit to San Marino in August 2026. Vatican officials noted that the pontiff’s addresses, homilies, and pronouncements will generally be delivered in French, with exceptions for speeches at UNESCO, which will be partly in French and partly in English, and a meeting in Metz, which will be entirely in English.

Itinerary Highlights and Key Encounters

The detailed program encompasses meetings with civil authorities and state representatives, encounters with young people and the local clergy, visits to charity initiatives, and a visit to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, as detailed by Vatican News. The UNESCO visit highlights the agency as a venue where humanity reflects on its history, future, and the values of art and education as vehicles for peace, coinciding with upcoming celebrations of 75 years of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and UNESCO in 2027.

Pope Leo XIV Announces Official Apostolic Journey to France — Photo: Vaticannews

In Lourdes, local preparations have been underway since May, according to OSV News. Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes stated in early May that preliminary plans included a solemn Mass celebrated on the sanctuary’s lawn and a torchlight procession, with the 320 employees of the Sanctuary of Lourdes expressing delight at the prospect. The final leg of the trip will take the pope to Metz for a gathering themed To the roots of Europe for Peace and Unity, emphasizing Europe’s past and future. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, will not attend the journey due to commitments at the United Nations in New York.

Context of Catholic Revival and Youth Participation

The papal visit arrives amid notable demographic shifts within the country’s Catholic population. According to data from the Conference of Bishops of France cited by EuropeSays, France registered over 21,380 adolescent and adult baptisms in 2026, including 8,100 individuals between the ages of 11 and 17. This represents a 28 percent growth among adults and a 10 percent increase among youth compared to the previous year, with adult baptisms more than tripling over the past decade.

France: As Pope Leo prepares to visit, can its 'Catholic moment’ become a lasting revival — Photo: europesays.com

Among those turning to the Church is Audrey Bourgès, who became the first person baptized at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris following its reconstruction from the 2019 fire. Despite these surges in adult catechumenate entries—such as Bourgès entering instruction in 2024 and being baptized during the Easter Vigil—broader trends indicate a general shortage of priests and catechists alongside a decline in infant baptism rates. Approximately 80,000 young people are expected to greet Pope Leo XIV at a sold-out gathering at the Stade de France on September 25, providing a prominent platform for discussions surrounding the future of the French Church, technological progress, and societal questions.