Vatican confirms first official papal state visit to France in 18 years
The trip marks a significant diplomatic milestone, following an invitation from President Emmanuel Macron and Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, and signals a strategic engagement with historically Catholic but increasingly secular European nations.
The Vatican announced on 16 May 2026 that Pope Leo XIV will undertake an official state visit to France from 25 to 28 September. The trip marks the first official papal state visit to the country in 18 years, with the previous such visit occurring in September 2008 under Pope Benedict XVI.
The itinerary includes a stop in Paris, where the Pope will visit the headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations culture agency, as well as the pilgrimage site of Lourdes. The visit follows an invitation from Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, president of the French Bishops' Conference, which was reiterated by French President Emmanuel Macron during his April visit to the Vatican.
Pope Leo, the first pontiff from the United States elected in May 2025, is noted as a French speaker who has previously expressed "great esteem" for France and its spiritual history. The visit comes after the Pope’s scheduled trip to Spain in June, highlighting a strategic focus on historically Catholic but increasingly secular European nations that had been largely overlooked by his predecessor, Pope Francis.
While Pope Francis visited France three times during his pontificate, including trips to Strasbourg, Marseille, and Corsica, those journeys were not classified as official state visits by the Holy See. The Vatican statement positions this engagement as part of a broader effort to reconnect with European countries experiencing declining religious practice.
The sanctuary at Lourdes has a history of hosting papal figures, welcoming Pope John Paul II in 1983 and 2004, as well as Benedict XVI in 2008. Each previous visit drew hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to the southwestern French town.
