Cover image: Le pape Léon XIV est accueilli par le président français Emmanuel Macron sur le tarmac après être descendu de l'avion à son arrivée à l'aéroport d'Orly, près de Paris, le 25 septembre 2026, à l'occasion de sa visite de quatre jours en France. © Alberto Pizzoli, AFP

Pope Leo XIV's France visit puts Macron in diplomatic balancing act

· France 24

Pope Leo XIV's visit to France is forcing Emmanuel Macron into a delicate diplomatic balancing act. As both the head of the Catholic Church and the head of the Vatican City State, the pontiff requires the French president to navigate the country's secular traditions carefully. There will be no private meeting between the two leaders — officially because of the Pope's packed schedule — and Macron is not expected to attend any of the religious services during the visit. FRANCE 24's Rochelle Ferguson has the details.