Pope Leo XIV's visit to France this week was the first state visit by a pope to the country in close to two decades, and it combined the ceremony of diplomacy with some of the most sensitive issues facing the Catholic Church today.
The pope met with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on Friday, where the two leaders issued a joint statement, part of a visit that also included a Mass celebrated in the heart of Paris and a speech focused on European unity. Alongside the formal diplomacy, Pope Leo XIV met with survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, a continuation of the Church's ongoing effort to reckon with that history under recent pontiffs.
During the visit, the pope also spoke more broadly about the risks facing humanity in the years ahead. He warned that what he described as a "paradise of machines" could undermine humanity if left unchecked, raising concerns about artificial intelligence alongside longstanding worries about nuclear weapons and human rights. The remarks placed him among a growing number of global religious and civic leaders who have used their platforms this year to urge caution about the pace of AI development even as the technology becomes more deeply embedded in daily life and the economy.
The visit comes at a moment when the Vatican has been active on several fronts, from its diplomatic engagement in various global conflicts to its internal work on abuse accountability. A state visit to a major European country, conducted with the full ceremony of a head of state, remains a relatively rare event for any pope, and this one was closely watched both in France and across the Church.
Vatican officials are expected to publish the full text of the pope's Paris address on European unity in the coming days, and church observers will be watching for any follow-up steps on abuse accountability stemming from his meetings with survivors.
When was the last papal state visit to France?
This week's visit was described as the first in nearly 20 years, making it a notably rare event in the relationship between the Vatican and France.
What did the pope say about AI?
He warned that what he called a 'paradise of machines' could undermine humanity if artificial intelligence, nuclear arms, and human rights concerns are not addressed together.