---
title: Pope Leo XIV Concludes French Visit With Mass in Metz
url: https://www.faithfulnews.com/en/pope-leo-xiv-concludes-french-visit-with-mass-in-metz
published: 2026-10-01T21:54:28+00:00
language: en
section: World Church
source: https://www.vaticannews.va/ja/pope/news/2026-09/leone-xiv-francia-metz-messa-conclusione-viaggio.html
organizations: Catholic Church, Metz, Moselle, Saint Stephen Cathedral, Papamobile, Vatican News
publisher: FaithfulNews
---

# Pope Leo XIV Concludes French Visit With Mass in Metz

Pope Leo XIV presided over a solemn Mass in Metz on September 28, marking the final official act of his French pastoral visit. The Mass took place in the Cathedral of Saint Stephen, a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture renowned for its soaring height and grandeur. Its vaulted ceiling reaches 41.41 meters, making it the third tallest in France after Bourges Cathedral and Amiens Cathedral. The cathedral’s stained glass covers 6,500 square meters, the largest collection of Gothic stained glass in Europe, earning it the nickname "Lantern of the Good God". In the afternoon, a large crowd gathered along the route from the bishop’s residence to the cathedral to welcome the Pope, who traveled in the specially equipped "Papamobile". Approximately 35,000 faithful attended the service. The Mass was offered for "peace and justice".

In his homily, the Pope invoked the Gospel passage from Matthew 5:38‑48, urging the faithful to respond to injury with forgiveness, compassion, and openness of heart. He cautioned against interpreting Jesus’ call to turn the other cheek as weakness or surrender, emphasizing that revenge, retaliation, and rejection only deepen suffering. He reflected on the history of the Moselle region, once torn by fratricidal conflict, reminding listeners that strength lies not in domination but in the courage to forgive and seek reconciliation. The Pope highlighted that the people of Metz and the Moselle have a unique vocation to demonstrate that reconciliation requires the bravery to break cycles of resentment, especially when wounds are deep and the temptation to yield to evil is strong. He concluded by affirming that the only true path to salvation amid injustice is a love that extends trust even when faced with unacceptable actions, a personal conversion that gradually transforms into a communal witness of civilization respecting humanity and its Creator.

After the Mass, the Pope expressed gratitude to the French people, calling their society a beacon of hope for France, Europe, and the world. The ceremony concluded with a farewell at Metz‑Nancy‑Lorraine Airport, where President Emmanuel Macron and other officials bade him goodbye. At 19:33 local time, the Pope departed France aboard a special aircraft, arriving at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport at 20:53, thereby completing his fifth overseas pastoral visit, the first not to Italy.

## This story in other languages

- [Português (Brasil)](https://www.faithfulnews.com/pt-br/papa-leao-xiv-celebra-missa-em-metz-e-encerra-visita-a-franca)