Overview
- Pope Léon XIV’s four‑day visit was confirmed by the Vatican Saturday, with Paris on the schedule for an address at UNESCO’s headquarters from September 25 to 28, 2026.
- It will be the first papal state visit to France since Benedict XVI in 2008, following invitations from President Emmanuel Macron, French church leaders, and UNESCO’s director‑general.
- Emmanuel Macron welcomed the announcement on X, calling the September visit an honor for France and a source of hope for the public.
- The wider itinerary is still being set, with Lourdes widely reported as likely but not confirmed, as the French bishops launch pape-france.fr and form a steering committee to finalize plans.
- Church and media sources say the visit is expected to tackle sexual‑abuse accountability, France’s euthanasia debate, and signs of renewed interest in faith, while Lourdes hotels already report rising late‑September interest from pilgrims.