Pope Léon XIV's France visit signals symbolic shift for secularized societies

Pope Léon XIV is set to visit France, the first papal visit since Benedict XVI in 2008, marking a symbolic re-engagement with a historically Catholic but now secularized nation. The visit is framed as a test case for the Church's relevance in formerly Christian societies, though its concrete agenda remains unclear. The move signals a potential strategic pivot in Vatican outreach to Western Europe.