Pope Leo XIV Heads to France, and Rome Watches the Church's European Hand

Pope Leo XIV arrives in France on September 25 for a four-day apostolic journey that is also an official state visit, the first by a pope in 18 years, according to Le Monde. The paper reports that the pope will travel on a specially chartered plane from Rome accompanied by 80 journalists, under a highly codified ritual in which reporters who are practising Catholics sometimes step outside the cabin.

The Conversation, in an opinion piece, sets out the expected agenda: young people, the challenges of artificial intelligence, and European affairs. The pope is due to address young people at the Stade de France, following John Paul II's visit there in 1980, and to pay tribute to social Catholicism and the legacy of Robert Schuman, a founding figure of European and Christian democracy.

The visit is framed by its hosts as an apostolic journey rather than a state occasion, though the pope will be received by French President Emmanuel Macron and other political leaders in his capacity as head of state of Vatican City. The Conversation notes that the timing, well before France's presidential campaign, may limit attempts to turn the visit to electoral advantage.