Pope Leo XIV is completing his four-day visit to France on Monday, September 28, with the final stage of his journey taking him to Metz. The Pope is scheduled to leave Lourdes in the morning and travel to the eastern French city, where he will take part in an interreligious meeting, a European discussion and a public Mass. His visit to Metz is the final major part of a journey that began in Paris on September 25 and continued through Lourdes on September 26 and 27. The Vatican’s published schedule confirms that the Metz programme takes place on September 28.
The Metz visit is designed to focus strongly on Europe, peace and unity. One of the central events is titled “At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity.” The programme reflects the city’s location near France’s borders with Germany and Luxembourg and its long connection with European history. Metz has often been described as a city where different European traditions meet, making it a suitable location for the Pope’s final day in France.
The Pope is also scheduled to attend an interreligious meeting in Metz. Such meetings bring representatives of different religious communities together and provide an opportunity to discuss cooperation, social issues and peaceful relations. The event forms part of the wider message of the French visit, which has repeatedly focused on peace, dialogue and the future of Europe.
Before reaching Metz, Pope Leo spent two days in Lourdes. On September 27, he celebrated an outdoor Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. Around 150,000 people were reported to have attended the Mass, with priests, bishops and volunteers also taking part. The Lourdes programme also included meetings with sick and disabled pilgrims, visits to people working at the sanctuary and an evening Rosary.
The Lourdes part of the trip had a strong religious focus, while the Metz programme places greater attention on European identity and relations between communities. The combination shows the broad nature of the Pope’s first official visit to France.
The Pope’s visit has also included discussions about modern technology. Artificial intelligence has been one of the subjects raised during his French journey. Pope Leo has repeatedly called for greater attention to the human effects of AI and the need for technology to serve people rather than weaken human dignity.
The Paris portion of the journey included meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, political representatives and cultural institutions. The Pope also visited UNESCO and spoke about international cooperation and the role of multilateral organisations.
His arrival in France created major public interest. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Paris on September 26 for the Pope’s large outdoor Mass. The crowd created significant transport and security challenges for the French capital, with roads and public spaces placed under special arrangements.
The final day in Metz will therefore bring together several themes from the wider visit. Religion will remain central because the Pope is scheduled to celebrate Mass at St Stephen’s Cathedral. At the same time, the interreligious meeting and European discussion will place attention on cooperation beyond the Catholic Church.
Metz is expected to welcome large numbers of visitors for the final public events. Local authorities have prepared for the crowds, while religious organisations have worked with officials to organise access and security.
After the Mass and final meetings, Pope Leo is scheduled to leave France and return to Rome. The four-day journey will then come to an end.
For France, the visit has been one of the largest international religious events of September. For the Pope, it has provided an opportunity to meet French Catholics, political leaders, young people, people with disabilities and survivors of abuse.
The September 28 programme in Metz is therefore not a separate visit but the final stage of the Pope’s France journey. Its focus on Europe, peace, unity and interreligious dialogue gives the final day a different character from the large religious gatherings in Paris and Lourdes.
