Pope Leo XIV's Grand Visit to France Set to Attract Millions

6:16 PM ETDeveloping

Faith Desk

In Short: Pope Leo XIV's four-day visit to France, starting September 25, is expected to draw over a million people, with events including an open-air Mass and a popemobile ride through Paris.

PARIS — Pope Leo XIV's upcoming visit to France, marking the first official papal state visit in 18 years, is set to attract over a million people, according to the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF). The four-day trip, beginning on September 25, includes an open-air Mass in central Paris and a stop in Lourdes, a significant Catholic pilgrimage site.

The visit will also see the pope meet with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace and deliver a speech at UNESCO headquarters. 'The trip is important for the country hosting him, but more broadly, the pope will have very important things to say to the entire world,' said Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, president of the bishops' conference.

Leo will travel by popemobile through a 1.6-mile route in central Paris, with church bells ringing across the city. He will celebrate vespers at Notre Dame Cathedral and end the day with a prayer vigil with young people at France's national stadium. The trip is expected to cost the Catholic Church 27 million euros ($31 million), according to Sylvain Guillebaud, deputy secretary-general of the CEF.

The pope's visit to France is part of a broader European and international dimension, with a stop in Metz, near the borders with Luxembourg, Belgium, and Germany. Pope Leo XIV will also release a new edition of the youth catechism 'YouCat,' emphasizing the vocation of love and unity.

What's still developing

Pope Leo XIV reflects on human love in the prologue to the new edition of “ YouCat: Love Forever,” emphasizing that it is not a fleeting feeling but rather “a decision, a journey, and a lifelong covenant.” This version of the catechism, aimed at young people preparing for the vocation of marriage, is scheduled for release in November.
“In revealing the heart of the Father, Christ shows us the deepest meaning of our existence, of our relationships, and the path to happiness,” the pope said.
VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV explained why “giving witness to unity” is something close to his heart in a Sept.
Pope Leo called the Church “a mystery of communion” and “sign and leaven of unity for our world.” “Through the gift of the Spirit, we have become children of God, sharers in the divine life, and from this communion with God flows our communion with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ,” he said.
PARIS (AP) — The Eiffel Tower reopened Tuesday, a day after one of the world’s most-visited landmarks was closed by a strike to protest what a union official called “unacceptable” management instructions limiting the presence of women during a visit by a Hindu delegation on Saturday.
Credit: Photo by Simone Risoluti / VATICAN MEDIA / AFP Two popemobiles and a golf cart are accompanying Pope Leo XIV on his upcoming trip to France, requiring some road transport logistics.
VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Franciscan Father Gerardo Antonio Vargas Cruz, currently vicar for clergy of the Archdiocese of San Juan, Puerto Rico, as coadjutor bishop of Fajardo-Humacao, Puerto Rico.
The bishop-designate will also automatically succeed Bishop Miranda upon his retirement; canon law requires bishops to submit their resignation to the pope when they turn 75.

Sources

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