Pope Leo XIV arrives in France for a four-day visit that begins at the Élysée Palace, where President Emmanuel Macron welcomes him and the two hold closed-door discussions. Macron is seen balancing the visit with France’s longstanding secular traditions, while the Vatican presents the trip as focused on the Pope’s religious mission.
At the Élysée, sources describe ceremonial reception steps followed by a brief meeting, with talks covering international geopolitics, artificial intelligence and peace. France 24 also reports that the Pope declines several high-profile state-style engagements, including a state dinner, the Legion of Honour and a private meeting with Macron, with the Vatican citing scheduling reasons.
Euronews characterizes the Pope’s tone at the Élysée as setting out a dialogue with the Republic while issuing warnings about AI and calling for peace, alongside acknowledgement of existing disagreements. Other coverage emphasizes that, despite official diplomatic meetings and a forthcoming address connected to European security and peace, the programme is structured to keep the visit centred on faith rather than politics.
