Live: Pope heads to France on first state visit in 18 years

Some of the key issues the pontiff is expected to face

Here are some of the key issues the pontiff is expected to face while on the first official visit to France by a head of the Roman Catholic Church in 18 years:

Clerical abuse: The Vatican announced in August that Pope Leo XIV will meet victims of clerical sexual abuse during his visit.

Assisted dying law: France’s parliament passed legislation in June establishing a right to assisted dying for some

adults suffering from an incurable condition.  The move drew strong criticism from the Catholic Church in France, which denounced the bill as a serious «rupture».

Presidential election: France is just seven months away from the first round of its presidential election to replace President Emmanuel Macron, making Pope Leo’s visit unusual as pontiffs rarely travel to a country so close to a major vote.

Europe’s role: Pope Leo’s trip will be the first papal state visit to France since Benedict XVI’s in September 2008.Coming after his visit to Spain, it highlights the pope’s interest in engaging with historically Catholic but increasingly non-religious European countries that were largely overlooked by his predecessor, Francis.

Pope heads to France on first state visit in 18 years

Pope Leo XIV flies to France on Friday for the Vatican’s first state visit to the European nation in 18 years, with artificial intelligence and young believers near the top of his agenda.

Church bells around the nation are set to ring for seven minutes when the first US pontiff, whose paternal grandmother was born in France, lands outside Paris at 10:00 am (0800 GMT) for a four-day trip.

President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte will be on the tarmac to greet the 71-year-old pope, as he marks the first official trip by a head of the Vatican since Pope Benedict XVI in September 2008.

Seven months ahead of elections to replace Macron, in which the far right is eyeing power, the pope is expected to touch on topics ranging from the dangers of artificial intelligence and the migration crisis to clerical sexual abuse and peace in Europe.