Pope Leo XIV will travel to the Principality of Monaco on March 28 for a brief but significant pastoral visit, marking his first European apostolic journey since the beginning of his pontificate.
The Holy See Press Office released the official schedule for the trip on March 9, outlining a nine-hour visit that will include meetings with Monaco’s leadership, the Catholic community, and young catechumens, as well as the celebration of Mass.
According to Vatican News, the journey will begin early in the morning when the Holy Father departs from the Vatican by helicopter at 7:00 a.m., arriving at the Monaco heliport at approximately 9:00 a.m. The Pope will then proceed to the Prince’s Palace for a formal welcome and a private meeting with Prince Albert II and his family.
The visit comes after repeated invitations from Monaco’s authorities and highlights the long-standing relationship between the principality and the Holy See. Archbishop Dominique-Marie David explained that the trip will serve as an opportunity to reaffirm “the centuries-old bond between the Grimaldi family and the Successors of Peter,” according to Vatican News.
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The archbishop also noted that the visit reflects shared priorities between the Church and Monaco, including respect for human life “from its beginning to its end,” care for creation through “integral ecology,” and a shared enthusiasm for sport and social engagement.
Prince Albert II has likewise emphasized the importance of the papal visit. According to Vatican News, the prince said the upcoming trip continues the “ancient and trusting diplomatic relations between the Principality of Monaco and the Holy See,” describing the visit as having both an institutional and pastoral dimension and as a “strong sign of hope in a spirit of dialogue, peace, and shared responsibility.”
Throughout the day, Pope Leo XIV will deliver four public addresses. After meeting with the prince at the palace, the Holy Father will travel to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, where he will address the Catholic community and offer a homily.
Later in the morning, the Pope will meet with young people and catechumens in the square outside the Church of Sainte-Dévote, a historic 19th-century parish church in Monaco’s La Condamine district. There, he will offer another address encouraging the faithful preparing to enter the Church.
The visit will conclude with the celebration of Mass at Stade Louis II, the stadium that hosts AS Monaco’s football club. After the liturgy, the Pope will depart Monaco at approximately 5:45 p.m., returning to Rome later that evening.
The theme chosen for the apostolic visit is drawn from the Gospel of John: “Je suis le Chemin, la Vérité et la Vie,” translated as “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). According to Vatican News, the motto emphasizes that the Pope comes “as the bearer of Christ and His message.”
Alongside the itinerary, organizers also released the official logo for the journey. The design features an image of the Pope offering a blessing while wearing liturgical vestments and carrying a pastoral staff, highlighting the spiritual nature of the visit. A stylized tower of Monaco’s Prince’s Palace appears beside him, symbolizing the principality and its close ties to the Church.
Monaco is one of the few nations where Catholicism is established as the state religion, and dialogue between civil institutions and the Church continues to play an active role in public life.
The Monaco visit will be the first of several international journeys planned for Pope Leo XIV in 2026. According to Vatican News, the Holy Father is also expected to travel to several African nations in April and to Spain in June.
For Catholics in Monaco and beyond, the visit is expected to be a moment of prayer, encouragement, and renewed witness to the Gospel as the Church prepares to enter Holy Week.
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