🔴 Live: Pope Leo gives first address of France visit at Élysée presidential palace

To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday welcomed Pope Leo XIV for the pontiff's first state visit to the European nation in 18 years, with artificial intelligence and young believers near the top of his agenda. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates and watch their address at the Élysée presidential palace in Paris. French secularism 'in no way a negation of religion' Macron defends the French principle of "laïcité", or secularism, stressing that it upholds each citizen's "freedom of faith and conscience", and "is in no way a negation of religion". Macron: 'A great honour and a great joy for France' The pope enters the Palace's gilded reception hall to warm applause. Speaking first, Macron says it is "a great honour and a great joy for France" to welcome the pontiff on French soil, adding that Leo's visit brings "hope" to the country. Pope and Macron to speak soon at Élysée Palace The French president and his guest will be addressing an audience of some 500 people gathered at the presidential palace. In addition to Catholic dignitaries, guests include Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and the head of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet. Macron will speak first, followed by the pontiff. Watch: Why pope's visit to France is more than just spiritual Map: Pope Leo's visit in Paris At Élysée, pope and Macron discuss AI, euthanasia, protection of children French President Emmanuel Macron is currently hosting the pope at the Élysée Palace. Macron’s office said this morning that the meeting would provide an opportunity for the two to discuss global challenges such as climate change and artificial intelligence, along with European and international affairs. They are also expected to talk about end-of-life care and the protection of children. Pope’s packed Friday Pope Leo has a packed programme today. This is what is on his schedule: 11am (although it was slightly delayed due to traffic): Meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace. 11:45am: Addresses officials, civil society, diplomats at Élysée Palace 2:30pm: Visits UNESCO headquarters and delivers keynote speech 4:30pm The popemobile leaves UNESCO to go to the Notre-Dame Cathedral 5:30pm: Celebrates Vespers at Notre-Dame, gives a homily 8:30pm: Travels to Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris 9pm: Prayer vigil with youths at Stade de France 10:30pm: Leaves Stade de France Ex-PM and presidential candidate Édouard Philippe calls visit ‘immense honour’ for France Édouard Philippe, a former prime minister in President Emmanuel Macrons cabinet and a candidate in next year’s presidential election, said in a post on X that the pope’s visit represents a “great honour” for his country. “His visit is a great joy for millions of Catholics and an immense honor for France,” he wrote. “As conflicts multiply, the Pope's visit to France carries a message that transcends the spiritual dimension alone: that of dialogue, peace, and hope. We need voices that remind us that peace must remain our shared political horizon in Europe and the world.” In pictures: France welcomes the pope Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives at Paris-Orly Airport for a welcome ceremony, in Paris, on September 25, 2026. Pope Leo XIV was also welcomed on the tarmac by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. All photos: Gregorio Borgia, AP Read more: The dark past of France’s Catholic Church While visiting Lourdes on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV will meet seven people who have been the victims of sexual abuse committed by members of the French clergy. The story blew up in 2021, when aninquiry found that clergy or lay members of the Catholic Church had abused about 330,000 people as minors in France, over seven decades. Since then, more scandals have been unveiled. It has also been revealed that several senior members of the clergy knew about the abuse but chose to stay silent to protect their colleagues. Pope visit prompts closure of more than 20 Paris métro and train stations Paris’s métro and train operator RATP has announced that 23 métro and commuter train (RER) stations will be closed in Paris this Friday and Saturday due to the visit. It warned that some disruptions can also be expected on parts of its network. Several streets in the city centre have equally been cordoned off. Pope Leo XIV’s trip to France – the first papal state visit since 2008 – has in France been labelled as a homecoming for the Chicago-born pontiff: His paternal grandmother came from Normandy and his father took part in the D-Day landings that led to Germany’s defeat in World War II. France welcomes pope with ringing church bells Church bells around France are ringing for seven minutes to celebrate the pontiff’s arrival. Pope Leo XIV says reporters are welcome to cover him, affirms need for media when asked about Trump ban at White House Pope Leo XIV told reporters they were welcome to cover him, as he responded to the Trump administration’s attempt to bar US media from the White House by affirming the role of journalists to cover public figures. Asked by a CNN reporter about the Trump administration’s attempt to bar CNN and other reporters, Leo said the media was welcome on his plane. “I am very happy that here, you are all welcome,” he said. “A good coverage I think is very important that we have it all the way around for everyone.”