Pope Leo XIV has used his visit to Paris to call for peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity, delivering the message during a meeting with migrants and refugees on the second day of his four-day visit to France.
The pontiff spoke on Saturday at Maison Bakhita, an organisation that supports migrants and refugees, where he met people of different nationalities and religious backgrounds.
“I am pleased to begin this second day in Paris with you, in a house that bears witness to the whole city that it is possible to encounter one another and to live together in dignity and peace,” Leo said.
The meeting brought together Christians and Muslims from countries including Algeria, Belarus, Iraq and Ivory Coast, with organisers describing the encounter as a message of unity ahead of France’s upcoming political season.
Valerie Moniod, president of the association, said the pope’s visit was intended to remind French citizens that political differences should not erase their shared humanity or the right of every person to dignity.
The pope’s remarks come as immigration remains a major issue in France, where political parties are already positioning themselves ahead of the country’s next presidential election.
Later on Saturday, Leo was scheduled to celebrate a major open-air Mass at Place de la Concorde, with about 600,000 people expected to gather around the site and along the Champs-Élysées.
Several political figures, including far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Edouard Philippe, were expected to attend the Mass, while President Emmanuel Macron was not scheduled to be present.
The Paris visit has attracted large crowds, with an estimated 300,000 people turning out on Friday to see the pope during his journey to Notre Dame Cathedral.
During his first day in France, Leo also warned about the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence, calling for safeguards against a future dominated by machines, and urged France to remain committed to peace amid continuing conflict in Europe.
His French tour will continue with a visit to Lourdes, where he is expected to meet seven survivors of clerical sexual abuse. A 2021 investigation estimated that around 330,000 people had suffered abuse as minors involving clergy or other Church members in France over several decades.
Leo will conclude the visit in Metz on Monday, where he is expected to deliver remarks focused on peace in Europe.
