Under bright skies at Paris Orly, President Emmanuel Macron, his wife Brigitte and a group of children welcomed Pope Leo, who has made AI risks a central theme across his 16-month papacy.
Before landing, he told reporters he was coming with a message of peace, adding, "It is a message which at this time, as we all may know, is particularly important." He was slated to lead a prayer service Friday at the restored Notre-Dame cathedral, the first papal visit there since a 2019 fire nearly destroyed the Gothic landmark.
It is the first visit by a pope to France in nearly 20 years, with stops in Paris, the Lourdes shrine in the southwest, and Metz near the German border. He is expected to sketch a vision for Europe in a speech on Monday.
Earlier this year, the first US pope provoked Trump's anger by criticizing the Iran war. While flying to Paris, asked about Trump's move to block CNN and several other outlets from White House access, Leo affirmed support for press freedom and added that everyone was welcome to cover his visit.
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Leo reinforced the Church's pro-life stance, speaking out two months after French politicians approved a measure on assisted dying for people with incurable illnesses.
The trip also unfolds amid the Church's abuse crisis. Survivors have continued to press for accountability. "Leo bears the immense responsibility of 'declaring enough is enough'," said Alain Esquerre, 66, a representative for victims at the Catholic institution Notre-Dame de Bétharram. On Sunday in Lourdes, the pope will meet seven French survivors of clergy abuse.
France's approach to secularism is rooted in a 1905 law that formalized church-state separation. Religious affiliation has faded in the post-war decades, and an INSEE report found only 25% of 18-to-49-year-olds identified as Catholic, down from 43% a decade earlier.
For everyday savers, the thread here is ethics shaping policy: AI rules, end-of-life laws and institutional accountability can steer how governments spend, regulate and prioritize innovation. If Leo keeps AI, dignity and responsibility squarely in view, expect more debate that influences public budgets and which sectors get momentum.
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