Vatican rejects French protocol requests ahead of Pope Leo XIV's visit

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit France from September 25 to 28, 2026, and will preside at vespers in the cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. According to a report by the French Catholic daily La Croix, the Vatican has turned down a request from President Emmanuel Macron to accompany the pope during a short visit to the site. The cathedral is undergoing a major restoration financed largely by the state.

The request, sent through diplomatic channels, was for the president to show the pope the progress of the work on the cathedral. The Vatican Secretariat of State said no. Paris had treated the visit as a state occasion, while the Vatican is organizing it as a pastoral trip.

Other protocol requests from the French government were also rejected or scaled back. They include a less formal military reception, the refusal to award the pope the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, and the absence of a state lunch or dinner during his stay. The pope will stay at the apostolic nunciature.

The differences are not seen as a dispute between the Vatican and the French government, but as a disagreement over the nature of the trip. Leo XIV will hold an official meeting with Macron, but the private moment in the cathedral that was initially requested will not take place.

Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris said the pope will not arrive with a political program but with "disarming words" meant to encourage understanding and unity among citizens. He said the pope does not intend to intervene in the highly polarized pre-election climate. "The pope is not coming to resolve or heal a pre-election climate," Ulrich said.

Pastoral character and French expectations

The pope's visit to Notre-Dame is scheduled for the first day of his stay in France, and representatives of the Church in France are expected to accompany him. Leo XIV has stressed the importance of cooperation among all sectors of society in building a country.

A recent Ifop poll found that 28 percent of French people expect the pope to address peace and conflicts around the world, while 15 percent want him to focus on the fight against sexual abuse in the Church. Of those surveyed, 26 percent believe the visit could revitalize the Church in France, while 6 percent think it will influence political debate ahead of the presidential elections.

France is deploying 15,000 security personnel for the visit, including military, police and gendarmes. Ulrich said the pope's arrival draws large crowds.