Pope Leo XIV's September 2026 trip to France

Active · last development Sep 30: “In France, Pope Leo emerged as the global voice for ‘right to life’ of the disabled and vulnerable”

Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the United States, made a four-day state visit to France from September 25 to 28, 2026, the first official papal visit to the country in 18 years.[1][2][3] More than 800,000 people attended his open-air Mass in Paris, by Vatican estimates; he met privately with survivors of clergy sexual abuse, condemned France's legalization of assisted dying, and closed in Metz by urging Europe to resist the "desire for domination" driving today's wars.[4][5][6][7]

Photo from Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with Pope Leo draws 800,000 people to central Paris for open-air Mass on iconic square (Sep 25), the story with the most independent sources this week.
What this arc covers

Pope Leo XIV's four-day state visit to France in September 2026: the preparations in a strictly secular country, his warnings about artificial intelligence and assisted dying, the open-air Mass in Paris, his meeting with survivors of clergy sexual abuse at Lourdes, and his appeal to Europe in Metz.

Earliest story we hold Sep 18, 2026 · 20 stories · 56 independent sources (counted once each) · 12 days

Part ofFranceLeo XIVParisCatholicsEmmanuel Macron

Background

Pope Leo XIV's visit to France, his fifth trip abroad since he became pope in 2025, took him to Paris, the shrine at Lourdes and the border city of Metz.[1][2] France had enshrined abortion in its constitution in 2024 and given final approval to a law creating a right to assisted dying,[2][8] and its strict secularism, known as laïcité, made the visit a balancing act for the government.[9]

He opened the trip on September 25 by warning that a "paradise of machines" could undermine humanity, as he raised questions about artificial intelligence.[10] In Paris, he urged French Catholics to persevere "even amid the thorns" of a secular world,[11] and Vatican estimates put the crowd that filled central Paris for his Mass at the Place de la Concorde at more than 800,000.[4] He also urged the church to welcome a growing number of adult converts.[12]

At Lourdes, the shrine associated with miraculous cures, he called the legalization of medically assisted death "false compassion"[6] and met privately with victims of sexual abuse in the church,[3] a meeting closely watched by critics who say the church has not done enough to confront abuse.[5] He ended the visit in Metz on September 28, urging religious leaders to preach peace[13] and Europe to draw on its tradition of dialogue to counter the "desire for domination" behind today's wars.[7]

Supporting stories (13)
  1. Pope to speak on EU integration from French border town of Metz
  2. Pope Leo XIV in France to find a secular country at odds with Catholic teaching on life
  3. Pope Leo in Lourdes: What to know about one of Catholicism’s most famous pilgrimage sites
  4. Pope Leo draws 800,000 people to central Paris for open-air Mass on iconic square
  5. Pope Leo XIV will meet with the French abuse survivors as critics demand action
  6. Pope blasts assisted dying as ‘false compassion’ at French shrine known for miraculous cures
  7. Pope Leo wraps up France trip by urging Europe to blunt 'desire for domination' driving today's wars
  8. Pope Leo XIV in France will find a secular country at odds with Catholic teaching on life
  9. How France is balancing its strict secularism with excitement for Pope Leo XIV's visit
  10. Pope warns a ‘paradise of machines’ could undermine humanity as he opens France trip
  11. Pope encourages Catholics in deeply secular France to persevere as Paris shuts down for huge Mass
  12. Pope Leo welcomes French converts and wades into liturgy debate
  13. Pope urges religious leaders in France to preach peace as he recalls foundations of European unity

Overview updated Oct 1, 2026

Part of The papacy

  1. Pope Francis's pneumonia, hospitalization and death on Easter Monday 2025Feb 14 – Apr 26, 2025
  2. The 2025 conclave that elected Pope Leo XIVApr 21 – May 25, 2025
  3. Pope Leo XIV's criticism of Trump and their feud over IranMay 8, 2025 – Sep 25, 2026
  4. Pope Leo XIV's September 2026 trip to FranceThis arcSep 18 – Sep 30, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 30– Oct 1In France, Pope Leo emerged as the global voice for ‘right to life’ of the disabled and vulnerable3 articles · 3 independent sources
1 left, 0 center, 1 right
Sep 28Leo’s visit across France offers a more personal glimpse of the pope8 articles · 8 independent sources
0 left, 1 center, 0 right
Sep 28– 29Pope Leo wraps up France trip by urging Europe to blunt 'desire for domination' driving today's wars10 articles · 9 independent sources
0 left, 3 center, 1 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Sep 21 – 28Pope to speak on EU integration from French border town of Metz35 articles · 17 independent sources
    1. Sep 21Pope Leo Begins Four-Day Visit to France
    2. Sep 25‘Here, you are all welcome:' Pope Leo comments on Trump's attempt to bar media from White House
    3. Sep 25Leo XIV, trying to be everyone’s pope, tours secular France
  2. Sep 25 – 26Pope warns a ‘paradise of machines’ could undermine humanity as he opens France trip20 articles · 17 independent sources
  3. Sep 25 – 28Pope blasts assisted dying as ‘false compassion’ at French shrine known for miraculous cures28 articles · 20 independent sources
  4. Sep 25 – 27Pope Leo draws 800,000 people to central Paris for open-air Mass on iconic square41 articles · 26 independent sources
  5. Sep 28 – 29Pope Leo wraps up France trip by urging Europe to blunt 'desire for domination' driving today's wars10 articles · 9 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Sep 14Sep 21Sep 28

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Sep 14, 20260011
Sep 21, 202613298157
Sep 28, 202616328

23% left · 59% center · 18% right of 56 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 20 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. September 2026

    Sep 18– 22Pope Leo XIV in France to find a secular country at odds with Catholic teaching on life15 articles · 6 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 1 right
  2. Sep 21– 28Pope to speak on EU integration from French border town of Metz35 articles · 17 independent sources
    2 left, 8 center, 3 right
  3. Sep 22Pope Leo XIV in France will find a secular country at odds with Catholic teaching on life2 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  4. Sep 22– 23Pope Leo XIV will meet with the French abuse survivors as critics demand action6 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 0 right
  5. Sep 23– 25How France is balancing its strict secularism with excitement for Pope Leo XIV's visit3 articles · 2 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 0 right
  6. Sep 25Pope heads to secular France with an appeal to respect the dignity of every human life4 articles · 4 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  7. Sep 25– 26Pope warns a ‘paradise of machines’ could undermine humanity as he opens France trip20 articles · 17 independent sources
    6 left, 3 center, 3 right
  8. Sep 25– 28Pope blasts assisted dying as ‘false compassion’ at French shrine known for miraculous cures28 articles · 20 independent sources
    3 left, 5 center, 4 right
  9. Sep 25– 27Pope Leo draws 800,000 people to central Paris for open-air Mass on iconic square41 articles · 26 independent sources
    2 left, 11 center, 4 right
  10. Sep 26Pope encourages Catholics in deeply secular France to persevere as Paris shuts down for huge Mass5 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  11. Sep 26Pope Leo XIV's outdoor Mass in Paris: the eye-popping numbers1 articles · 1 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 0 right
  12. Sep 26Huge crowds cheer Pope Leo along Champs-Elysees ahead of Paris mass2 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  13. Sep 26– 27Pope Leo in Lourdes: What to know about one of Catholicism’s most famous pilgrimage sites5 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 0 right
  14. Sep 26Pope Leo welcomes French converts and wades into liturgy debate2 articles · 2 independent sources
    2 left, 0 center, 0 right
  15. Sep 26Hundreds of thousands in Paris cheer Pope Leo in largest event of French tour1 articles · 1 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 1 right
  16. Sep 27Hundreds of thousands cheer pope in Paris3 articles · 1 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 0 right
  17. Sep 28Pope urges religious leaders in France to preach peace as he recalls foundations of European unity3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  18. Sep 28– 29Pope Leo wraps up France trip by urging Europe to blunt 'desire for domination' driving today's wars10 articles · 9 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 1 right
  19. Sep 28Leo’s visit across France offers a more personal glimpse of the pope8 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  20. Sep 30– Oct 1In France, Pope Leo emerged as the global voice for ‘right to life’ of the disabled and vulnerable3 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 1 right