Pope Leo XIV in France: First official visit in 18 years

Milliyet AppUygulamayı AçWebWeb'de Devam Et ENPope Leo XIV in France: First official visit in 18 yearsNewsPope Leo Xıv İn France: First Official Visit İn 18 YearsPope Leo XIV in France: First official visit in 18 years25.09.2026 - 17:07 | Last Updated: 25.09.2026 - 17:08

Pope Leo XIV, who landed in France today at 11:00 a.m. local time for a four-day visit, was greeted by the ringing of church bells across the country.

The French Bishops’ Conference (CEF) described the decision to ring the bells for seven minutes as a “simple and symbolic gesture” marking the start of the Pope’s apostolic journey.

This visit by the 71-year-old pope marks the first official visit by a Vatican leader since Pope Benedict XIII in September 2008. Pope Francis, meanwhile, had visited France three times during his papacy. 

The Pope’s schedule includes a packed four days, ranging from addressing European Union leaders to meeting with victims of sexual abuse within the Church, from greeting the public in Paris from the popemobile to participating in various events.

While one million people are expected to attend events across Paris during the first two days of the visit, the highlight of the apostolic journey will be a massive Mass that the Pope will preside over tomorrow at the Place de la Concorde and along the Champs-Élysées.

The Pope’s visit to France is expected to cost approximately 27 million euros. It is reported that the majority of the expenses will be covered by donations to the Catholic Church in France. Meanwhile, it is not yet known how much the total cost will be for the French security forces tasked with establishing comprehensive security measures.