PARIS – Pope Leo XIV Begins First Official Visit to France in 18 Years

Pope Leo XIV has begun his first official papal visit to France, 18 years after the last visit of this kind, made by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008, writes euronews.com.

Church bells will ring across France for seven minutes this Friday morning, as a symbolic gesture marking the start of the apostolic visit.

France’s Conference of Bishops said the initiative aims to enable people to symbolically take part in this event, wherever they are.

During the four-day stay, Pope Leo XIV has a packed agenda.

He is expected to meet EU leaders, as well as people who have survived sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

The program also includes a parade in Paris with the popemobile, where large crowds of believers are expected to gather.

The visit also has a personal dimension for the Pope. His paternal grandmother, of Pope Leo XIV, who is the first Pope of American origin, was born in France.

A major logistical and security operation: Pope Benedict XVI’s visit in September 2008 was the last papal visit to France officially classified as a state visit.

Pope Francis visited France on three occasions — in Corsica, Marseille and Strasbourg — but none of them was considered an official papal visit.

The cost of Leo XIV’s visit to France is estimated at around 27 million euros, with most of the expenses expected to be covered by the Catholic Church in France through donations.

Meanwhile, the total cost of the security operation organized by the French authorities has not yet been disclosed. A wide security apparatus has been mobilized for the visit due to the large number of participants and the Pope’s public activities.