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Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Paris on September 25 and 26, 2026

Tout Paris, Paris - 75 Paris
From 25 to 26 September 2026
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🌟 THE POPE IN PARIS IN PICTURES 🌟
Le Pape de dos
© Cristiano Fronteddu - iStock

Pope Leo XIV will visit Paris on September 25 and 26, 2026, as part of his trip to France

A historic event in Paris: Pope Leo XIV will make an official visit on September 25 and 26, 2026. This apostolic journey—the first by a pontiff to the capital since 2008—will feature several highlights. Tourists and the faithful can catch a glimpse of the Holy Father as he passes by in the popemobile or attend the grand solemn outdoor Mass scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Although Paris is the starting point of this trip, the Holy Father will then continue his national tour: he will travel to Lourdes on the evening of Saturday, September 26, 2026, and on Sunday, September 27, 2026, for special moments of prayer, before concluding his trip in Metz on Monday, September 28, 2026.

🎯 Detailed programme for the Pope’s visit to Paris

All events are free! Some events require you to register for free in advance on the dedicated platform.

📌 Friday 25 September 2026: official welcome and Vespers at Notre-Dame de Paris

Pope Leo XIV arrives in Paris for a busy first day: a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron, followed by a journey in the popemobile through the streets of Paris to meet the French people. In the late afternoon, he will celebrate Vespers at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral with the French clergy (priests, deacons, consecrated persons and seminarians). A prayer vigil with young people is also planned for the evening at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, where 75,000 people are expected to attend.

  • 10am: the Pope’s arrival at Paris-Orly Airport
  • 11am: visit to the President of the Republic at the Élysée Palace and meeting with the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps
  • 3pm: visit to the UNESCO headquarters. The visit is reserved for delegations and will be broadcast live
  • From 4pm to5 pm: the Pope’s journey in the Popemobile from Notre-Dame-des-Champs Church to Place Saint-Michel, via Boulevard Montparnasse and Boulevard Saint-Michel. From midday: gates open and the festivities begin with hymns, music and a street party whilst awaiting the Popemobile. Free access to security checkpoints from midday, no booking required
  • 5.15pm: celebration of Vespers at Notre-Dame de Paris
    (by invitation only and broadcast live), followed by a procession (open to the public) on the forecourt of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral
  • 9pm: prayer vigil with young people (aged 17–35) at the Stade de France. Registration opens on Monday 10 August 2026 at midday via the dedicated platform

📌 Saturday 26 September 2026: open-air Mass in Paris

A solemn open-air Mass is held in the early afternoon between the Place de la Concorde and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées to welcome the 500,000 people expected to attend.

  • 9am: visit to the Maison Bakhita support and social integration centre, in the 18th arrondissement
  • 10.15am: time for meeting and discussion at the Catholic Institute of Paris
  • 3pm: solemn open-air Mass on the Place de la Concorde and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Registration opens from Monday 10 August 2026 at midday on the dedicated platform)
  • 5.15pm: departure from Paris-Orly to Lourdes

📌 Saturday 26, Sunday 27 and Monday 28 September 2026: stops in Lourdes and Metz

On Saturday 26 September 2026, the Pope will leave Paris for Lourdes, where he will preside over an open-air Mass. On Monday 28 September 2026, he will travel to Metz for the final leg of his apostolic journey in France.

  • 7.40pm: prayer at the Grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes on 26 September 2026
  • 11am: Mass on the Meadow of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes on 27 September 2026
  • 9pm: recitation of the Holy Rosary and torchlight procession on 27 September 2026
  • 7.40am: departure for Metz on 28 September 2026
  • 4pm: Mass at Saint-Étienne Cathedral in Metz on 28 September 2026
  • 6.30pm: Farewell ceremony at Metz-Nancy-Lorraine International Airport on 28 September 2026
  • 7pm: departure for Rome

💡Summary table of the stages of the Pope’s visit to Paris and France

Date Time Venue / Event
Friday 25 Sept. 2026 10am Arrival at Orly Airport
11am Meeting with the President of the Republic at the Élysée Palace
3pm Visit to UNESCO headquarters
4pm The Popemobile will travel from Notre-Dame des Champs to Place Saint-Michel, via the Boulevards du Montparnasse and Saint-Michel. Duration: 1 hour. Access from midday
5.15pm Vespers at Notre-Dame de Paris followed by a stroll across the forecourt
9pm Prayer vigil with young people at the Stade de France (Saint-Denis)
Saturday 26 Sept. 2026 9am Visit to the Maison Bakhita (18th arrondissement)
10.15am Meeting at the Catholic Institute of Paris
3pm Solemn Mass (Place de la Concorde / Champs-Élysées)
5.15pm Departure from Paris-Orly to Lourdes
7.40pm Prayer at the Grotto of Massabielle (Lourdes)
Sunday 27 Sept. 2026 11am Mass on the Meadow at the Sanctuary of Lourdes
9pm Prayer of the Holy Rosary and torchlight procession (Lourdes)
Monday 28 Sept. 2026 7.40am Departure for Metz
4pm Mass at Saint-Étienne Cathedral, Metz
6.30pm/7pm Farewell ceremony and final departure for Rome

📌Impact on the opening of Notre-Dame de Paris and traffic restrictions

Notre-Dame de Paris

Traffic on the Place de la Concorde

  • From 2 to 16 September 2026: it will not be possible to drive from south to north across the Place de la Concorde (a diversion via the Quai des Tuileries is recommended), but north and west crossings will remain open
  • From 16 September 2026: the Place and its surrounding area will be completely closed to traffic (as will the Champs-Élysées between Clemenceau and the Concorde), with the exception of the section along the banks of the Seine. Rue Royale will be partially closed. The Champs-Élysées will be closed between Clemenceau and the Concorde
  • 26 September 2026 (day of the solemn mass): complete closure of the Concorde/Champs-Élysées area. Diversions: Avenue Gabriel, Cours de la Reine, Tuileries, Pont de la Concorde. Public transport will be at full capacity (Metro lines 1, 12 and 13)
  • Your journey: use the Quai des Tuileries, Avenue Winston Churchill and the Pont Alexandre III, and avoid Place de la Concorde, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Rue Royale and the Île de la Cité (on 25 September 2026)
  • Between midday on 28 September and midnight on 10 October: traffic restrictions and diversions will remain in place to allow for the dismantling of installations on the Place de la Concorde

Disruption on 25 September 2026: the Pope in Paris

  • Disruption around the Élysée Palace, UNESCO, Notre-Dame and the Stade de France
  • Temporary closures during the passage of the popemobile

🌟 Pope Leo XIV’s visit: map of traffic restrictions around the Place de la Concorde 🌟

Visite du Pape à Paris - Restrictions place de la Concorde du 2 au 16 septembre puis à partir du 28 septembre 2026
© Préfecture de Police
Visite du Pape à Paris - Restrictions place de la Concorde du 16 septembre au 28 septembre 2026
© Préfecture de Police

📍 The places Pope Leo XIV visited and prayed at in Paris

❓Frequently asked questions

When is Pope Leo XIV coming to Paris?

Pope Leo XIV is expected in Paris on 25 and 26 September 2026, as part of an apostolic visit to France from 25 to 28 September 2026. After his stop in Paris, he will travel to Lourdes on the evening of 26 September, then to Metz on 28 September 2026.
💡 Practical information: Find all the official news regarding Pope Leo XIV’s visit to France on the pape-france.fr website. To make sure you don’t miss a thing, feel free to sign up for the newsletter or WhatsApp alerts.

Which Pope has previously visited Paris?

John Paul II visited Paris in 1980 (giving his famous speech at Le Bourget) and then in 1997 for World Youth Days, where he beatified Frédéric Ozanam at Notre-Dame de Paris. More recently, Benedict XVI undertook an apostolic journey from 12 to 15 September 2008, which included a speech at the Collège des Bernardins. Léon XIV will be the tenth pope to visit Paris.

Who is the current pope following the death of Pope Francis?

Following the death of Pope Francis in April 2025, the American cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected pope on 8 May 2025, taking the name Leo XIV. He becomes the first American pope in history and the first Augustinian to ascend to the papacy. A former prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, he champions synodality and dialogue with the modern world.

How old is Pope Leo XIV?

Pope Leo XIV was born on 14 September 1955 in Chicago. During his visit to France in September 2026, he will therefore be 71 years old. Despite this relatively young age for a pontiff, he possesses a wealth of international pastoral experience, notably thanks to his years as a missionary in Peru and at the head of the Order of Saint Augustine.

What is Pope Leo XIV’s nationality?

Pope Leo XIV is an American national. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he grew up in the village of Dolton, in a family of Italian-American origin. According to some genealogical research, he is also said to have Quebecois ancestry on his mother’s side, being a descendant of Pierre Boucher, founder of Boucherville and the first settler of New France to be ennobled by Louis XIV.
💡 Good to know: for all official information on Pope Leo XIV’s visit to France, visit the website pape-france.fr. You can also sign up to receive updates by email or WhatsApp.

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