Pope Leo XIV separates spaces from Macron during France visit

Pope Leo XIV declined a request from French President Emmanuel Macron to walk together through Notre Dame Cathedral during the pope's visit to France. According to Vida Nueva, Macron requested a private moment with the pope inside the cathedral, which the French state has funded for reconstruction, rather than attending the Vespers scheduled for September 25. The Vatican rejected this diplomatic request to keep the pope's apostolic journey separate from a state visit.

The trip to France includes several other changes to traditional protocol. Vida Nueva reports that the Vatican has downgraded the visit by removing a state dinner and the presentation of the Legion of Honour. Religión Digital noted that this effort to separate the religious nature of the trip from political appearances was also a pattern during the pope's previous travels in Spain.