The trip was the first official state visit by a pope to France in 18 years, following the last visit by Benedict XVI in 2008. During the tour, the 71 year old pope led a mass at the Place de la Concorde that drew around 800,000 people, compared to the 250,000 who attended the 2008 event. Other stops included a pilgrimage to Lourdes and a youth vigil at the Stade de France, as the Vatican seeks to revive the church's presence in a secular nation currently seeing a surge of converts.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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Pope Leo XIV Urges EU Unity in Metz to End First France Visit in 18 Years
World23 days ago
The pontiff's tour of France concluded on Monday with a speech about continental peace and political cooperation in the border city of Metz. Speaking at the Robert Schuman Convention Center in an address titled "At the roots of Europe for peace and unity," Pope Leo XIV called for closer EU integration before an audience of European leaders, including President Emmanuel Macron. This final stop added a political dimension to the 4 day trip and ended his itinerary in the northeast of the country.
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