How France handles its strict secularism as it prepares for a papal visit

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to begin a four-day visit to France this Friday, an event that includes large public gatherings, popemobile parades, and an open-air Mass in Paris. The visit serves as a significant test for the French state, which maintains a policy of strict secularism.

French authorities are currently navigating the logistical and symbolic challenges of hosting a major religious leader while adhering to the country’s secular principles. The event requires balancing the public nature of the papal visit with the state's established approach to maintaining a secular environment in public spaces.