Papal Trip To France

Pope Leo XIV’s visit to France will take him to Paris, Lourdes and Metz from 25 to 28 September. As his apostolic journey to Spain draws to a close, the French bishops have released the first details of the papal itinerary The French bishops have released the first details of Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to France, confirming a programme that will take the Pontiff to Paris, Lourdes and Metz during a visit scheduled from 25 to 28 September. The itinerary, published by the Conference of Bishops of France on 9 June, includes Solemn Vespers at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on the opening day of the visit, a national youth prayer vigil, an open-air Mass in the French capital, a pilgrimage to Lourdes, and a final Mass in Metz. The announcement was made by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille and president of the bishops’ conference, who said preparations had been under way for several months and that discussions with the Pope had begun shortly after the start of his pontificate. “From the very beginning of his pontificate, I invited Leo XIV to visit us,” Cardinal Aveline wrote. “He was not difficult to convince, so great is his esteem for our country, for its role in the world, for its rich spiritual history, and for its missionary zeal.” The cardinal said he had begun working with the Pope on a draft programme for the visit in April and noted that a steering committee had already been established to coordinate preparations between the bishops’ conference and the dioceses due to receive the Pontiff. According to the schedule released by the bishops, Pope Leo will begin the visit on Friday, 25 September, with Solemn Vespers at Notre-Dame de Paris. Priests, deacons and their wives, consecrated persons, religious brothers and sisters, and seminarians from across France have been invited to attend. Later that evening, the Pope will join young people from throughout the country for a large prayer vigil in Paris. The following afternoon, Saturday 26 September, he will celebrate a solemn open-air Mass in the French capital. On Sunday 27 September, Pope Leo will travel to Lourdes, where he is scheduled to celebrate Mass on the meadow facing the grotto associated with the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. The final event announced by the bishops is a Mass at Saint-Étienne Cathedral in Metz on Monday 28 September. The bishops stressed that the Holy See has yet to publish the complete programme and that further practical information regarding participation in the various events will be released in due course. The visit was first announced by the French bishops in May. At the time, they described the prospect of welcoming the new Pope as “a great joy and a great responsibility” and said his presence would be an opportunity for the Church in France to share its experiences with the successor of St Peter while being strengthened by his ministry. In his latest message, Cardinal Aveline urged Catholics to prepare spiritually for the visit. “Above all, we must prepare ourselves to receive the grace that God wishes to bestow upon France and our Church,” he said. “Through our inner openness and our missionary boldness, let us prepare ourselves to cooperate in the work that the Holy Spirit will accomplish in hearts during the visit of the successor of Peter.” Notre-Dame Cathedral is one of the most iconic symbols of French Catholicism, Gothic architecture and national identity. Located on the Île de la Cité in Paris, it is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and has been the site of major historical events, including coronations and Te Deums. It suffered a devastating fire in 2019 but reopened in late 2024. The visit will mark the first papal visit to the cathedral since its reopening. The Mass in Lourdes will take place at one of the world’s most important Marian shrines, associated with St Bernadette’s 1858 apparitions of the Virgin Mary. The shrine attracts millions of pilgrims each year for prayer, healing and the famous torchlight processions. Previous papal visitors have included Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. Less attention has been given to the Mass at Saint-Étienne Cathedral in Metz. Nicknamed the “Lantern of the Good Lord” because of its vast stained-glass windows, among the largest collections in the world, the cathedral stands in the Moselle region of Lorraine near the German border. The area has a complex history shaped by shifting frontiers, war and reconciliation. The date of the Mass falls almost exactly 38 years after St John Paul II’s visit to Metz in October 1988, creating a notable historical parallel.