Pope Leo XIV arrives in France with a message of peace and human dignity

Pope Leo XIV began a four-day visit to France on Friday, hoping to draw attention to his appeals for peace at a time of war, and for greater reflection as artificial intelligence questions the very essence of what it means to be human.

Leo is spending four intense days in Paris, the Catholic shrine at Lourdes and the northeastern city of Metz.

Church bells across France tolled when Leo’s charter flight landed at Paris’ Orly airport, and upward of a million people are expected to turn out to see him during his visit. The welcome has underscored the surprising level of interest in Leo’s visit, the first by a pope in 18 years.

Leo was greeted by President Emmanuel Macron at the airport and will meet again at the Élysée Palace. During his busiest day of the trip, Leo was to then deliver a speech at UNESCO headquarters, celebrate vespers at the newly reopened Notre-Dame cathedral and then preside over a massive youth vigil at the Paris stadium Friday night.

For Macron, who is barred from seeking a third term in May elections, hosting the American pope is something of a capstone, after Pope Francis refused repeatedly to make a…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world