Pope touches on war, migration in speech at Metz
Pope Leo urged Europe to remember its Christian history in a speech delivered in Metz, the hometown of Robert Schuman, a founding father of the European Union, during his four-day visit to France. Speaking in French, he urged Europeans to recall the founding values of the EU, including the rule of law and the equality of all people without distinction of race, colour, class or profession.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Pope Leo XIV appeared together in Metz on the final day of the Pope's visit to France. Macron said Europe must rediscover the "courage of its founders" and not give in to the "resurgence of nationalism".
According to Euronews, there was a last-minute change to the Pope's schedule, with Macron attending the concluding mass before escorting the Pope at his departure ceremony.
The Pope, meanwhile, urged religious leaders to preach messages of peace and unity, recalling the forces of dialogue that contributed to Europe's post-World War II integration, as reported by the Winnipeg Free Press. The Pope's visit had stirred enthusiasm among French Catholics, Le Monde English reported.
Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, Euronews, Winnipeg Free Press, Le Monde English — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
