The afterglow a papal visit leaves behind

Pope Leo XIV concluded a four day apostolic journey to France on September 28, 2026, with a final Mass at the Metz Cathedral.

The visit included stops in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz, where crowds of mostly young people gathered to sing and cheer. Margaret Hickey of The Irish Catholic noted that the scenes of the recent trip drew comparisons to the 1979 visit of Pope St. John Paul II to Ireland.