Home · Faith · Sep 20 archive
Pope Leo’s Paris lesson in the art of saying “no”
Developing
In Short: Archbishop Laurent Ulrich has stated that the event will exceed expectations, with over 600,000 attendees registered for the open-air Mass in Paris.
Pope Leo XIV is set to visit France on September 25, but he will not receive the full honors of a state visit, as President Emmanuel Macron had initially hoped. Instead, the pontiff will conduct a more modest apostolic visit.
Macron will welcome the Pope at the Élysée Palace, where they will meet and Leo will address political leaders, civil society, and the diplomatic corps. The Pope's schedule in Paris includes stops at UNESCO, vespers at Notre-Dame, a youth vigil at the Stade de France, and a Mass at the Place de la Concorde.
The Pope's decision to forgo the full state visit protocol highlights the delicate art of saying no, according to Aleteia.org. This approach underscores the pontiff's preference for a more straightforward and less ceremonial engagement with the French people.
Pope Leo XIV's visit will also take him to Lourdes and Metz, where he will continue his apostolic activities.
Background
Archbishop Laurent Ulrich says the event will exceed expectations with over 600,000 attendees.
Nearly 600,000 people have registered for Pope Leo XIV's open-air Mass in Paris, as the event expands to accommodate the massive turnout.
What's still developing
- Pope Leo XIV shows how to do it on a presidential scale.
- France was offering the Pope some of the highest honors at its disposal, which makes Leo's apparent preference for a simpler apostolic visit all the more interesting.