Pope Leo XIV touches down in France for first papal state visit in 18 years

Pope Leo XIV arrived in France on Friday for a four-day apostolic visit, the first papal state visit to the country in eighteen years, as the Catholic Church continues to grapple with the fallout from widespread sexual abuse scandals that have eroded public trust in the institution across the Western world.

The trip marks the pontiff's fifth apostolic journey since becoming pope last year. During his stay he is expected to address several pressing and contentious issues, including the ongoing debate in France over assisted dying, as well as setting out his broader vision for Europe's future at a moment of political and social uncertainty across the continent.

The pope also intends to use the visit to call for international regulation of artificial intelligence, a cause he has championed since early in his pontificate. Church officials have described the trip as an opportunity to begin rebuilding the institution's moral standing and re-engage with one of Catholicism's historically significant nations.