Pope Leo XIV arrived in France for a four-day pastoral visit beginning September 25, with peace and technological ethics as central themes of his initial engagements. During an address to French diplomats and politicians at the Élysée Palace, the pontiff spoke about the humanitarian costs of armed conflict in the Middle East, stating that such suffering demands a moral response from the international community. He emphasized the need for genuine personal transformation and changed attitudes toward these global challenges.
The pope’s remarks on military matters reflected long-standing positions held by the Catholic Church. Leo called for international disarmament agreements and advocated for the elimination of nuclear weapons, arguing that arsenals accumulate globally and fuel an uncontrollable arms race rather than providing security. His comments followed a separate statement from French President Emmanuel Macron at the United Nations addressing Middle Eastern violence. The pontiff acknowledged French government support for Catholic educational institutions throughout the region, including schools in Bethlehem and Lebanon.
Alongside security concerns, Leo addressed the rapid development of artificial intelligence, a topic he and Macron discussed together. The pope warned against assuming technology can resolve all human suffering and stressed the importance of ethical frameworks governing AI systems. He stated that artificial intelligence, while capable of processing information, cannot address fundamental questions about life’s meaning rooted in human experience. The Holy See has positioned itself as a moral voice in global discussions about frontier AI development.
The pope’s visit also highlighted tensions between Catholic Church teaching and French secular policy. Leo expressed concern about developments in bioethics and end-of-life practices, areas where French law has increasingly diverged from Catholic positions. He referenced France’s assisted dying legislation passed in August and abortion rights protections enshrined constitutionally in 2024. The pope characterized true secularism as dialogue between religious and secular perspectives in education and public discourse rather than the exclusion of religious voices.
The visit includes scheduled stops at the healing shrine at Lourdes and an address in Metz through September 28, as well as meetings with church representatives and political officials.
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