Pope Leo’s General Audience
Saint Peter’s Square- Wednesday, 30 September 2026
That the world may have life” (John 6:51),
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The Apostolic Journey in France and visit to UNESCO
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, I would like to share with you my recent Apostolic Journey to France.
It was a great gift for me and the people of God in that country, and I thank the Lord for it.
I would like to express my gratitude once again to all those who welcomed me: the civil authorities, the pastors of the Church, and the many people who wanted to meet the Pope, or even just greet him in the streets as an apostle of Christ and a messenger of peace. Thank you all!
I would like to gather my thoughts and impressions – still very vivid – of this Pastoral Visit, which centered on a single great symbol: the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
On the first day, in the afternoon, we celebrated Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
It was a solemn yet joyful liturgy in which the beauty of the temple, music, and song stirred the hearts of those united in prayer.
With the tragedy it has endured, Notre-Dame can symbolically shed light on this entire Apostolic Journey. I would summarize this perspective in one word: rebirth.
Just seven years ago, the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris seemed mortally wounded by a devastating fire. Now, it has been rebuilt and is more splendid than ever.
The disaster sparked positive reactions at every level—some more visible and practical, and others more hidden and spiritual.
Above all, however, Notre-Dame represents the Church as a community of living stones, the holy people of God.
It is interesting to draw a parallel between the Vespers celebration in the cathedral and the young people’s vigil that took place that same evening at the huge Stade de France in Paris.
Though the locations were completely different, the events were complementary and almost united spiritually.
What united them?
The Church, which is not made of stone and cement, but of people who love Jesus Christ because He has loved them.
At Notre Dame, there were priests, deacons, consecrated individuals, and pastoral workers. At the stadium, there was the new French generation.
I would say it is new, not only in terms of age, but also in spirit, in the freedom of heart and faith.
There were young people who sang and shouted, but who also remained silent and listened. Their attentive and emotional faces revealed hearts yearning for truth and love.
To them, I said with joy: “You are the saints of France!” The vigil was a great sign of hope.
The same was true of the meeting at the Maison Bakhita, a shelter for people in need, in the smallness that God favors. It is one of the many places born of the Gospel where people commit themselves every day to serving the dignity of the human person with love.
However, there is a sign of renewal within the Church in France that has been evident for some years now: the remarkable and growing number of young people and adults seeking baptism.
In response to this beautiful “surprise” from God, a provincial synodal assembly is currently underway in Paris. I was able to speak at the assembly, encouraging the journey of the catechumens and neophytes together with their communities.
The climax of my visit to the Capital was Mass at Place de la Concorde.
The sign of rebirth appeared there in a surprising way.
The liturgical assembly brought together priests, a choir, and a large crowd in the vast square.
It extended all the way along the Avenue des Champs Élysées, up to the Arc de Triomphe, and beyond.
During Communion, everyone was able to receive the Eucharist, which was distributed throughout the crowd.
This is the true reconstruction and restoration of the Church that only God can bring about through the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
So it was only natural that after visiting Paris, I made a pilgrimage to Lourdes to venerate Mary, the Mother of the Church. In the hour of passion and death, she keeps the lamp of faith and hope alight.
In Lourdes, through the Virgin Mary’s maternal care, the Lord conveys a message of hope and rebirth to everyone, especially the sick in body and spirit.
It is a message that I wish to reaffirm openly: every human life retains its inviolable dignity, even in the most extreme frailty, and deserves to be cared for, accompanied, and relieved of suffering with human compassion and the aid of scientific means.
For this reason, Lourdes is a sanctuary of the civilization of love for the entire world.
In this context, I met with people who were victims of abuse.
I asked them to help me express my wish, and the wish of the entire Church, to listen to other victims and walk alongside them as they seek healing.
We acknowledge the pain inflicted upon their lives and work to prevent abuse.
The third and final stage of the Apostolic Journey was Metz, a city in a region of France and Europe that was ravaged by World War II.
Robert Schuman, one of the principal inspirers of the process of European unification, carried out his work there.
Contemporary Europe was born as a peace project in the wake of war’s destruction.
One might say that what happened to Notre-Dame in Paris with the fire was similar to what happened to Europe during the war.
Europe was reborn on the principles of democracy, solidarity, and fraternity among peoples, which owe much to its Christian roots.
Even today, the European project can be renewed on these foundations and with this vital “lifeblood,” especially in a far more globalized world where interreligious dialogue plays a primary role.
For this reason, I met with representatives of various religious traditions in Metz, where they read and signed the “Metz Appeal” for dialogue and peace in my presence.
Dear friends, the theme of my pastoral Visit to France was “Pour que le mode ait la vie”, “That the world may have life” (John 6:51).
They are Jesus’ words, which encapsulate His entire mission of salvation and which, during the Journey, fully expressed the Gospel meaning of every encounter.
May they now inspire our prayer, as we ask God that this event of grace may bear abundant and lasting fruit.
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Summary of Pope Leo’s words
Dear brothers and sisters,
In today’s catechesis, I would like to share some thoughts on my recent apostolic journey to France.
This trip was a gift for both the French people and myself.
For this, I thank the Lord and all those who helped organize it.
The motto of the journey, “That the world may have life” (John 6:51), characterized the gospel-centered nature of my meetings throughout the visit.
Only God, through his grace, can restore the Church and renew humanity. It was evident to me that this is precisely what is happening in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz. Just as Notre-Dame Cathedral was restored, the Church in France is also being renewed.
This is particularly evident in the enthusiasm of young people and the increased number of baptisms.
I was especially pleased to make my pilgrimage to Lourdes to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary and ask for her continued intercession for her children, not only in France but also throughout the world.
May we learn from her how to establish a civilization of love that upholds human dignity and is marked by lasting peace.
Please join me in continuing to entrust the people of France to the Lord in prayer.