Pope Leo XIV received a remarkable welcome during his visit to France, according to Victor Gaetan, international correspondent for the National Catholic Register, interviewed by France 24.
This visit goes beyond a simple pastoral mission to offer insight into the intellectual and political character of the early days of his pontificate.
What is particularly striking is the breadth of his appeal: he was warmly received by people of various faiths as well as by figures across the entire French political spectrum.
Victor Gaetan also highlights a direct intellectual link between Pope Leo XIV and his predecessor Leo XIII, notably through the work Rerum Novarum, which addressed the social consequences of technological and economic transformations at the end of the 19th century.
