Pope Leo arrives in France with AI, apologies for clergy abuse on agenda

Paris hosted Pope Leo for a four-day visit, where he aimed to convey a message of peace and address concerns surrounding the Catholic Church's standing following abuse scandals. Tensions existed between France's Catholic leaders and the government due to disagreements on abortion rights and a recent law allowing assisted dying. The Pope's itinerary included stops in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz, with an estimated 600,000 people attending an outdoor mass in central Paris on Saturday.

Security forces, numbering around 37,000, were deployed to ensure the events' safety. Pope Leo's agenda focused on speeches to French leaders, including President Emmanuel Macron and UNESCO staff, as well as addressing the global impact of AI at UNESCO. The Pope, who is the first to visit France in nearly 20 years, plans to meet seven abuse survivors in Lourdes on Sunday and deliver a speech on Europe's roots for peace and unity in Metz on Sunday.