French bishops formally invite Pope Leo XIV for a September visit, with Paris and Lourdes considered as key stops.
Newsroom (07/05/2026 Gaudium Press ) The French Episcopal Conference has officially confirmed that it has invited Pope Leo XIV to undertake an apostolic journey to France at the end of September, signaling a potentially significant moment for both the Church and the country.
The initiative was led by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, president of the French bishops’ conference, and has received backing at the highest political level, including support from the President of the French Republic. According to a statement released by the episcopate, the invitation follows earlier expressions of interest from several French bishops shortly after Leo XIV’s election a year ago. Cardinal Aveline later formalized the proposal in coordination with the Apostolic Nuncio.
The plan gained further momentum during a meeting between the French president and Pope Leo XIV in Rome on April 10, where the invitation received explicit presidential endorsement.
Potential itinerary takes shape
Although the Vatican has yet to officially confirm the trip, preliminary preparations are already underway. The French bishops are working on a draft program, with Cardinal Aveline holding multiple working sessions with the Pope to discuss the visit’s framework.
“Leo XIV has expressed, on various occasions, the great esteem he feels for our country and for its spiritual history,” Aveline stated, underscoring the symbolic importance of the proposed journey.
Among the potential destinations under consideration are Paris and the Marian sanctuary of Lourdes, one of the Catholic Church’s most prominent pilgrimage sites. Lourdes, in particular, represents a focal point of spiritual life and devotion, making it a likely highlight of any papal itinerary.
A meaningful moment for French Catholicism
The anticipated visit comes at a critical juncture for the Church in France, which continues to grapple with the effects of secularization and seeks renewed vitality in its pastoral mission. Church leaders view the potential visit as an opportunity for encouragement and reflection.
“His visit would be an opportunity to share with the Pope what our Church in France is experiencing and to be encouraged by his words,” Cardinal Aveline said.
France’s longstanding historical ties with the papacy add further weight to the proposed trip. In recent decades, the country has hosted several apostolic visits from popes including Saint John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, reinforcing its enduring role in the global Catholic landscape.
While awaiting official confirmation from the Holy See, the French Episcopal Conference has called on the faithful to support the preparations through prayer, reflecting both anticipation and hope surrounding what could become a landmark visit.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Infovaticana
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