Pope Leo XIV Flies to Metz as French Fighter Jets Escort Papal Plane

Pope Leo XIV departed Lourdes early on Monday for Metz, beginning the final leg of his four-day visit to France.

During the flight, two French Air Force fighter jets were seen escorting the papal aircraft. The Pope sat in the cockpit behind the pilots, watching the fighters accompany the plane.

Earlier, on the tarmac at Lourdes Airport, an Air France plane waited with officials and clergy for the Pope's arrival. He was seen shaking hands and greeting officials before boarding.

In Metz, the Pope is expected to attend an interreligious meeting at the Robert Schuman Conference Centre and deliver an address. The choice of venue reflects his decision to close his France visit at a site named for Robert Schuman, the French Catholic statesman regarded as one of the founding fathers of European unity.

The setting is intended to underline the Pope's appeal for Europe to draw on its Christian foundations and traditions as it responds to Russia's war in Ukraine and other conflicts.

The Metz stop concludes the Pope's four-day trip to France.