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Pope Leo XIV spent four days in France, from September 25 to 28, 2026. His trip took him from a massive open-air Mass in Paris to the sanctuary at Lourdes. The Pope Leo Lourdes visit combined enormous public crowds with one deliberately quiet moment. That moment was a private meeting with seven survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
The Vatican estimated roughly 800,000 people attended the outdoor Mass at Paris’s Place de la Concorde, according to Euronews. That turnout beat the roughly 600,000 who had pre-registered. It ranks among the largest crowds of Leo’s papacy so far.
What happened during the Pope Leo Lourdes visit
After Paris, Leo traveled to Lourdes, the Catholic pilgrimage site in southern France tied to reported 19th-century apparitions of the Virgin Mary. He arrived on Saturday evening and prayed at the Grotto of the Apparitions. This was the fifth international trip of his papacy. Earlier trips touched on artificial intelligence, peace, and European unity.
His itinerary also included Metz and Saint-Denis. In Metz, he delivered an English-language address titled “To the roots of Europe for Peace and Unity.” He met civil authorities, young people, and local clergy at several stops. He also visited a UNESCO headquarters event in Paris.
A private meeting that drew public attention
Leo met privately with seven survivors of sexual abuse by priests and other Catholic personnel during the trip, according to a separate Vatican News briefing. The Vatican did not publicize details of the conversation. Critics have said for years that the Church has not done enough to address abuse within its ranks. The meeting drew attention precisely because it stayed private, not staged for cameras.
Leo also spoke out against assisted dying
While in Lourdes, Leo criticized assisted dying, a policy debate active in French politics. He did not offer a detailed policy proposal in the remarks reported so far. His comments align with longstanding Catholic teaching against euthanasia. Previous popes have taken the same position.
What happens next for Pope Leo’s papacy
Leo has not announced his next international trip. His France visit adds to a travel record that already spans several continents in under two years as pope. Vatican watchers will look for one thing next. Will the private abuse survivor meeting lead to any policy announcement? Past papal meetings with survivors have sometimes preceded new Church guidelines.
Questions readers are asking
How many people attended Pope Leo’s Paris Mass?
The Vatican estimated about 800,000 people attended the outdoor Mass at Place de la Concorde, more than the roughly 600,000 who had pre-registered.
Why did Pope Leo visit Lourdes?
Lourdes is a major Catholic pilgrimage site in southern France. The Pope Leo Lourdes visit was part of a four-day trip that also included Paris, Metz, and Saint-Denis.
Did Pope Leo meet with abuse survivors?
Yes. He met privately with seven survivors of sexual abuse by priests and other Catholic personnel during the trip. The Vatican has not released details of what was discussed.
What did Pope Leo say about assisted dying?
He criticized assisted dying while in Lourdes, a topic under active debate in French politics, without laying out a detailed policy position in the remarks reported so far.
What other cities did Pope Leo visit in France?
Besides Paris and Lourdes, his itinerary included Metz, where he gave an English-language address on European peace and unity, and Saint-Denis.
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