Pope Leo XIV will officially visit France from September 25 to 28, 2026, including a planned visit to UNESCO headquarters in Paris and a pilgrimage to Lourdes [1, 2, 3, 4]. This marks the first official state visit by a pope to France since Benedict XVI in 2008 [1, 2].
The pope is expected to celebrate mass at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, which reopened in 2024 after the 2019 fire [1, 3, 4]. French bishops and President Emmanuel Macron extended the invitation, and Pope Leo XIV is likely to meet Macron during the visit. There is also the possibility he will address the French parliament [1, 2]. Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline said the visit reflects “the great esteem in which he holds our country and her spiritual history” [2].
Pope Leo XIV was elected in May 2025 as the first US-born pope, with French immigrant ancestry [1, 3, 4]. He has traveled extensively since then, visiting four African countries, Monaco, and will visit Spain in June 2026 before arriving in France [1, 3, 4].
UNESCO is facing an 8% budget cut following the US withdrawal from the agency last year after Donald Trump returned to the presidency, adding significance to the pope’s visit to its headquarters in Paris [1, 3, 4].
Pope Francis previously visited French territories on three occasions but never made an official state visit to metropolitan France [1, 2].
Pope Leo XIV marked one year of his papacy on May 8, 2026, and continues to expand his international presence ahead of the September visit to France [1, 3, 4].
