Pope Leo XIV arrives in France for four-day visit — The National

Pope Leo XIV has arrived in France for a four-day visit. He will visit Paris, the Catholic shrine in Lourdes in the southwest of the country, and Metz near the border with Germany. During the flight to Paris, the pontiff said he wanted to be a pilgrim of peace in a world where wars continue.

As The National reports, artificial intelligence will be one of the main topics of the trip. Leo XIV is expected to again call for global rules governing the development of this technology and set out his vision for Europe’s future.

Addresses in Paris

On Friday, the pope is due to address French President Emmanuel Macron and other French leaders at the Élysée Palace. He is also scheduled to address employees at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The organization is facing a budget shortfall after US President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the agency in 2025.

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On the eve of the visit, the pontiff said at the Vatican that artificial intelligence could benefit humanity but creates new dangers for security and international peace. He called on world leaders to wisely control the development of the technology.

Mass and meeting of EU leaders

On Saturday, Leo XIV is due to celebrate an open-air Mass in central Paris. About 600,000 people have registered to take part, and crowds are expected along the Champs-Élysées. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told TF1 that about 37,000 security personnel would be deployed to ensure the safety of the events.

On Friday, the pope will also hold a prayer service at the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. This will be the first visit by a pontiff to the church since the 2019 fire that nearly destroyed the Gothic landmark. The trip will conclude on Sunday in Metz with a speech on Europe’s roots for peace and unity. Emmanuel Macron invited the leaders of all 27 EU member states to the event, but it is unknown who exactly will attend.