Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to begin a four-day apostolic journey to France on Friday. The tour will feature major public gatherings, high-level political talks, and stops in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz.

The central highlight of the voyage is expected to take place on Saturday afternoon along the Champs-Élysées. Authorities have constructed an altar on the Place de la Concorde, and law enforcement has cordoned off the surrounding area. Organizers anticipate roughly 600,000 the faithful to fill the renowned avenue all the way to the Arc de Triomphe. Church officials attribute the immense turnout to a growing spiritual interest across Europe.

President Emmanuel Macron will welcome the pontiff at Orly airport on Friday morning. The two leaders are scheduled to hold discussions at the Élysée Palace covering international affairs and artificial intelligence. They are also slated to deliver a joint address later in the trip during a stop in Metz.

In adherence to France’s strict constitutional separation of church and state, President Macron will not be present at any of the papal Masses. Instead, official representation will include his wife, Brigitte, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Several prospective contenders for the upcoming presidential election also plan to attend the Saturday liturgy.

Ahead of the visit, French officials dismissed rumors of friction between the government and Vatican planners regarding the itinerary. While discussions included various traditional honors, organizers noted that the pontiff's schedule remained strictly limited. For instance, a proposed meeting with the artisans who worked on the restoration of the fire-damaged Notre-Dame cathedral was declined due to time constraints.

Following his arrival, the Pope will travel by Popemobile to Notre-Dame and later address a gathering of 80,000 young people at the Stade de France. Subsequent legs of the journey include a massive Sunday liturgy in Lourdes, where 150,000 participants have registered, and a Monday visit to Metz. In Metz, the pontiff will honor Robert Schuman, a key architect of European integration who is currently under consideration for beatification by the Church.

The Pope’s schedule also includes private engagements with vulnerable populations. He plans to meet with migrants in Paris and with survivors of clergy abuse during his time in Lourdes.

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost in Chicago in 1955, holds ancestral ties to France through his paternal grandmother, who originated from Normandy. His journey marks the latest papal visit to a nation that has deep historical ties to Catholicism, despite decades of increasing secularization that have left a minority of the contemporary population identifying as practicing Catholics.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.