Live: Pope heads to France on first state visit in 18 years

Home Europe Live Issued on: 25/09/2026 - 03:57Modified: 25/09/2026 - 08:06 Pope Leo XIV boards his flight to Paris at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino for a four-day pastoral visit to France, on September 25, 2026. © Alessandra Tarantino, AP Pope Leo XIV flies to France on Friday for the Vatican's first state visit to the European nation in 18 years, with artificial intelligence and young believers near the top of his agenda. President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte will be on the tarmac to greet the 71-year-old pope. Follow our liveblog for all the latest updates. (FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP and Reuters) Keywords for this article