Royals welcome Pope Leo in France

Grand Duke Guillaume, along with Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, welcomed Pope Leo in Metz on the final day of his Apostolic Journey to France. 

Pope Leo XIV is on his final day of the Apostolic Journey to France. The Pope departed Lourdes around 7:40 and gave the customary greeting to the accompanying journalists abroad. The French Air Force gave a special touch to the Papal flight.

Two French Air Force Dassault Rafale fighter jets escorted the Papal Plane as it arrived in Metz. Pope Leo also visited the cockpit once airborne to speak with the Air France flight’s pilots. The Holy Father reportedly spent about thirty minutes in the cockpit and spoke with the fighter jet pilots over the radio.

Photo: Vatican Media

After landing at Metz-Nancy-Lorraine International Airport, the Holy Father proceeded to the Robert Schuman Conference Centre for an Interreligious meeting with various religious figures from around the world. They jointly declared, “We affirm together that neither the name of God nor any religious truth or spiritual tradition may ever be invoked to justify violence and hatred.”

Following the meeting with religious figures, Pope Leo XIV joined heads of state and European leaders at the “At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity” meeting.

Ahead of the continental meeting of leaders, President Emmanuel Macron, along with Brigitte Macron, welcomed senior heads of state, including Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg, as well as Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco. The Princess of Monaco was exercising her ‘privilège du blanc’ which allows her to wear white in the presence of the Pope — only eight women in the world allowed the privilege.

The royals and European leaders then listened to an address by both President Macron and Pope Leo. The meeting focused heavily on the legacy of Venerable Schuman, one of the founders of the European Union. The Holy Father referred to him as a “man of faith and conviction” and the “need for one another.”