Pope Leo XIV is visiting France from Friday to Monday, with his itinerary attracting interest beyond French borders. For many in Luxembourg, especially the faithful, Monday is a highlight as the head of the Catholic Church travels to Metz.
Tens of thousands, potentially even hundreds of thousands, of visitors are expected to converge on the city for the occasion. Ahead of the event, RTL journalist Marc Hoscheid visited Metz to see how preparations for the papal visit are progressing.
While Metz is not yet in full papal fervour, the Pope’s presence is already noticeable - at least on posters. Across the city, signs of anticipation are visible, particularly around the Centre Pompidou and the Robert Schuman Congress Centre.
Pope Leo will spend the morning and early afternoon at these venues, arriving at 10am and staying until the early afternoon.
From around 2.30pm, Pope Leo will travel in the Popemobile from near the train station towards the city centre. The route, expected to take about 30 minutes, will pass notable sites such as Place de la République and the Tribunal judiciaire, ultimately arriving at Saint-Étienne Cathedral.
There, from 4pm onwards, the Pope will celebrate Mass. Both inside and around the cathedral, preparations are already in full swing.
Locals in Metz are visibly excited about the visit, with a strong sense of anticipation evident among most, though not everyone shares the same enthusiasm.
One visitor expressed a feeling of an "enormous amount of joy", and cannot wait to see him despite the massive crouds expected.
Another said that it's an "incredible event", no matter one's beliefs.
However, not everyone is as interested: "I’m not religious, so I’m not really that concerned", one bystander admitted.
Another local shared a broader perspective: “What matters is that, regardless of belief, we manage to accept each other". Any religion that helps foster greater understanding and mutual respect truly deserves to be celebrated, according to them.
Metz may seem like a surprising stop for the Pope, given its small size of around 120,000 inhabitants and its position on the periphery of France.
In contrast, Paris, where the Pope will be on Friday and Saturday, is the inevitable political and cultural capital, while Lourdes, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, is a major pilgrimage destination.
Metz, meanwhile, was chosen specifically because of its connection to Robert Schuman, who hailed from the city.
Robert Schuman was one of the founding fathers of the European Union, and Pope Leo intends to highlight the EU’s role in fostering peace.
After centuries of war, particularly with the devastation of World War II, Western and Central Europe have now enjoyed more than 80 years of peace, which is something the Pope hopes will serve as an example of reconciliation for other regions around the world.
Those planning to witness the Pope’s visit to Metz on Monday are advised to arrive early, as large sections of the city centre will be closed to traffic to accommodate the event.
