Pope Leo XIV begins 4-day visit to France

Pope Leo XIV will spend four days in France where he is expected to call for the increase of respect for the dignity of all human life in one of the most secular nations in Europe.

The pope began his journey in Paris where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace.

The pontiff will then deliver a speech at the UNESCO headquarters and celebrate vespers at the recently reopened Notre-Dame Cathedral.

He will subsequently visit the Catholic shrine at Lourdes in the south of France before concluding his trip in the northeastern city of Metz.

The pope, of partial French descent himself, aims to push the Church's message of dignifying human life with France having just recently enshrined the right to abortion in its constitution.