Pope Leo heads to France amid assisted dying, abuse debates
First papal state visit to country in 18 years comes as church confronts contentious issues.
The four-day visit begins in Paris on Friday, where Leo will meet President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace before addressing French officials and civil society.
The first American pope will carry a message centred on human dignity as the Catholic Church in France confronts a newly enacted assisted dying law and the lasting fallout from clerical sexual abuse.
After meeting the president, Leo will deliver an address at UNESCO, attend a service at Notre-Dame Cathedral and join a youth vigil at the Stade de France.
However, Martin Dumont, secretary-general of a religion research institute in France, told the AFP news agency that he would be “very surprised” if the pope adopted a confrontational stance on the issue.