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Pope will visit French border city of Metz as ‘a symbol of friendship among people’
As the French city of Metz prepares to welcome Pope Leo XIV on September 28 during his Apostolic Journey to France, Archbishop Philippe Ballot speaks to Vatican News about the Pope spending an entire day in the border city.
By Jean-Charles Putzolu
Exactly one month from now, Pope Leo XIV will begin his very first Apostolic Visit to France.
Scheduled for September 25–28, the Pope will visit Paris, including a stop at the headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
He will also travel to the Marian shrine of Lourdes on Sunday, September 27, and will conclude his apostolic journey the following day with a full day in Metz, in eastern France, not far from the German border.
Pope Leo is scheduled to visit the Sanctuary of Lourdes this September
Once a source of conflict during the last century, this border has today become a bridge between two friendly peoples and a sign of hope in a world torn apart by war, increasingly marked by nationalist tendencies, ambitions of domination, and a lack of vision for the future.
It is from this border region that the Archbishop of Metz Philippe Ballot spoke to Vatican News, sharing his thoughts ahead of the Pope’s visit.
Q: Archbishop Philippe Ballot, Pope Leo XIV will conclude his apostolic journey to France with a visit to your diocese on Monday, September 28. How did you feel when you learned that Metz would be one of the three stops on his national itinerary, alongside Paris and Lourdes?
I felt a great deal of joy, and also a little pride on behalf of the people of Moselle and Metz, because of their history. This is a land that has experienced three wars, including two world wars, and two annexations, and which today shows itself to be a land of encounter and fraternity. Former enemies have become friends. They cooperate rather than confront one another. The border is no longer a place of separation, but a place of encounter. The ties with Germany are very strong.
So there is a very powerful message here. Welcoming a Pope who, since the beginning of his pontificate, has insisted on a “disarmed and disarming” peace already gives us the feeling that he is encouraging us to continue what we have been trying to do for years, since the end of the Second World War: to be people who are at peace and who make peace.
Q: This is a genuine message for Europe, especially at a time when the European continent is facing geopolitical tensions and a retreat into identity politics. What message of unity do you hope the Pope will convey while in this land, as you describe it, of borders and reconciliation?
We need to adopt an attitude of listening. We see how essential peace is when, from the balcony on the day of his election, he presented it in these words: “Peace be with you.” It is “the peace of the risen Christ.” He tells us that this peace comes to us from a man, the Son of God, who conquered death.
It is a divine peace, a peace that we must be able to live out. He has given us some indications through everything we have heard him say, explaining that it begins in the hearts of people who decide to work with others, to talk with others, to understand others, to accept others, and to trust others.
The theme of this journey is “So that the world may have life.” This suggests that life will also be one of the major themes of the visit, a particularly resonant issue in France following the adoption and promulgation of legislation on assisted dying.
Through what the Pope has already said about life, we can see that he is capable of helping us understand that, when it comes to life, everything is connected. We must serve life and respect its dignity, which is intrinsic to the human person. Wherever human life is present, dignity is present. To take life away is to take away dignity—whether at the beginning of life, at the end, or in the midst of life, for example, when we allow boats to cross a Mediterranean that is becoming a cemetery.
Q: On a more practical level, organizing a papal visit is a major, even enormous, logistical undertaking for a diocese. What can you tell us about how the community is coming together to organize the visit here in Moselle?
The whole community is getting involved. We needed around 1,000 volunteers. We have already exceeded that number, and people want to take part regardless of their religious beliefs. Members of other faiths are delighted that the Pope is coming and feel honored by his visit.
You can sense that the population has truly been moved by this visit. At the same time, there are security and organizational issues that need to be addressed. Metz is a small city of 140,000 inhabitants, or 250,000 if the metropolitan area is included. We do not have large spaces, so we need an organization that allows people to participate fully and gather along the route.
We are inviting people to come and greet the Pope. His presence will be something unique and inspiring. And finally, he will also be leaving France from here, which has really put us into a state of great excitement.
Q: What does this community response tell us about the evolution of the Church in France? In recent years, we have seen the flame of faith regain strength in France, particularly through the growing number of catechumens…
Something is happening. When I arrived in my diocese four years ago, there were 60 catechumens. There were 80 the following year and 200 last year.
We can see that when we are close to people, we touch on the profound questions that occupy them today, such as climate change and artificial intelligence. Many young people – up to the age of 25 or 30 – come to me and say that they cannot answer these questions on their own.
In recent years in France, there has been a growing number of catechumens. (AFP or licensors)
This is a generation becoming aware of the religious dimension of their lives. They are hungry for accompaniment. We must respect that. We must journey alongside them, as Pope Francis used to say. These are young people who are very attentive to what we tell them and to the respect we show for their own journey.
Q: Isn’t the major challenge for pastors to know how to nurture this small flame without extinguishing it, without blowing it out?
Exactly. The risk is that we try to control it too much. We need to accompany these young people, let them find their place, and not try to fit them entirely into our ready-made systems.
I often say that we need a pastoral approach based on presence and relationships. When we are present to someone, a relationship develops, an encounter takes place, and a dialogue can begin. It is a relationship given freely, without expecting anything in return.
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