Four audiences at the Vatican since 2017: Emmanuel Macron is presented by the Vaticanist Cyprien Viet as the French president who has visited the most. From Francis to Leo XIV, these meetings tell a story of proximity, diplomacy, and delicate balances around secularism.
After his meeting with Leo XIV on April 10, 2026, the head of state is to welcome the pope in France starting from September 25. But between convergences and institutional distance, Franco-Vatican relations cannot be reduced to a personal complicity.
Emmanuel Macron and the Vatican: Four Papal Meetings
Since his arrival at the Élysée, Emmanuel Macron has met Pope Francis three times and Leo XIV once, according to the count cited by Cyprien Viet. This engagement nourishes the image of a president particularly attentive to the Holy See, without this meaning that he presents himself as a practicing Catholic.
On April 10, 2026, Leo XIV received him at the Vatican for a private meeting. Peace and international issues were notably discussed in a meeting described as sober. Reports of this audience can be found in the account from the official media of the Holy See.
Pope Francis, a More Direct Relationship
With Pope Francis, the connection seemed warmer and more spontaneous. Emmanuel Macron, educated by the Jesuits during his adolescence, used the informal “tu” form with the Argentine pontiff, who is himself the first Jesuit pope. This personal closeness did not erase the distinction between their roles: the president represented the Republic, while Francis spoke on behalf of the Catholic Church.
The mass celebrated by Francis at the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille in 2023 illustrated this delicate balance. The president’s presence had sparked criticism in the name of secularism. To better understand this relationship, this review of the relations between Macron and the popes also sheds light on the expectations surrounding Leo XIV.
Leo XIV and Vatican Diplomacy: Convergences and Caution
The new pope and Emmanuel Macron display different styles: Leo XIV appears more reserved than his predecessor, while the Élysée highlights intellectual convergences. Multilateralism, peace, and artificial intelligence are among the topics likely to foster dialogue between Paris and the Vatican.
This proximity does not transform the pontiff into a political ally. Vatican diplomacy aims to maintain its independence and avoid having exchanges co-opted for national strategy. Interreligious dialogue and international crises thus give papal audiences a substance that goes beyond purely ceremonial gestures.
An Anticipated Visit to France, but Without a Joint Staging
The announced visit of Leo XIV to France starting September 25 is supposed to include a stop in Paris and a meeting in Metz dedicated to Europe. Emmanuel Macron is to welcome the pope and exchange ideas with him at the Élysée, but his entourage has indicated that he will not participate in papal masses.
A point of friction concerned Notre-Dame: the Vatican did not accept the proposal for a joint visit allowing the president to present the artisans of the reconstruction. Francis had already declined the invitation to the reopening of the cathedral in December 2024. The context of these sometimes troubled relations reminds us that an apostolic trip remains primarily that of the head of the Church.
Between personal affinities and republican rules, Emmanuel Macron’s relationship with the Holy See remains an exercise in diplomacy as much as a spiritual and political dialogue. To continue discovering Sébastien Auzière and the Macron family, visit this file dedicated to Macron and the popes as well as sebastien-auziere.fr.
